Demigod Adventures at Goode High
by TheLostRelic
Summary: This is a FanFiction about the PJO characters having a mortal High School experience. Annabeth goes to Percy's school and they have some crazy adventures. Filled with fluff, drama, and a very unique plot line. ON HIATUS FOR AN INDETERMINATE AMOUNT OF TIME.
1. Annabeth's Arrival

**Chapter 1 - Annabeth's Arrival**

**Intro:**

Today was the first day that Annabeth started at Goode High School in Manhattan. She was still slightly jet-lagged from her flight from California back to New York, but the thought of seeing Percy again excited her. Her father, Dr. Frederick Chase, had been offered a post to serve as a Professor of Military Studies at Columbia University. Naturally, he accepted the job offer and Annabeth was happy to be closer to camp and to Percy. However, he wasn't set to teach at Columbia until the beginning of the next school year. Therefore, her father and step-mother had insisted that she arrive at Manhattan early. So at the end of her first quarter at her high school in California, she officially transferred to Goode and she hopped on the next plane to New York, eager to return. Annabeth was excited to see New York City, Camp Half-Blood, her friends, but most of all, she was most looking forward to meeting Percy again...

**Annabeth's POV:**

**Junior Year Schedule - Goode High School**

**Hour 1: Greek 6 - Ramos ... 8:10-9:10**

**Hour 2: Multivariable Calculus - Thomas ... 9:20-10:20**

**Hour 3: Advanced Architecture and Design - Villa ... 10:30-11:30**

**Hour 4: AP European History - Randolph ... 11:40-12:40**

**(Lunch - 5th: 12:15-12:40)**

**Hour 5: Honors English: Classic Literature - Blofis ... 12:50-1:50**

**Hour 6: AP Physics - Harding ... 2:00-3:00**

_**Have a Good Day at Goode!**_

I looked up from my schedule and took a deep breath as I stared at the glass doors that marked the entrance to Goode High School. The familiar feeling of nervousness deep inside my gut made me feel uncertain about how everything would turn out. Today marked the first day of second quarter at Goode High.

"_Relax, this is just like any other High School. You're the daughter of Athena, you can handle something as trivial as this."_ I berated myself.

Taking one final breath, I braced myself and opened the doors. The sounds of a typical high school greeted me as I walked in. The mixture of laughter, groans, and the general noise of conversation surrounded me.

I permitted myself a half-smile - "_At least this isn't any different from my school back in California," _I thought.

I walked forward, my golden blond hair cascading in waves down my face. I was dressed in a purple American Eagle shirt, faded comfortable blue jeans, gray converse shoes, and topped it all of with a silver puffy beret. My wooden owl earrings and camp necklace were there too of course. I gripped my purple owl satchel with both hands and walked as confidently as I could through the high school populace.

I noted the familiar social hierarchy that plagued every high school I have ever been too: The Athletes/Jocks in one place, The Intelligent/Nerdy Kids in another corner, the Hipsters lounging near the entrance, the Goth/Punk kids in front of the school, and the Popular kids at the heart of it all. As I walked through the halls, people gradually stopped their conversations and I could feel all eyes focusing on me. The Jocks stared intently, the nerds looked like they were going to have a heart attack, the hipsters appreciated my beret and satchel, the punks eyed me wearily, but the populars were the worst. The girls there stared daggers at me whereas the boys looked at me like I was some piece of meat. Somewhere, I heard a boy whistle and his friends laughed in agreement. I rolled my eyes - I was bent on finding Percy and surprising him, I wasn't too focused on these people.

After the initial shock and awe faded, people went back to their own business which suited me just fine. I wasn't very comfortable being the center of attention. However, the popular girls didn't seem to get the message. A group of 5 girls barred my way. I instantly identified three of them as the leaders of this little assemblage and I regarded wearily them. The girl at the front looked beautiful but her intimidating aura ruined her appearance - She had long dirty blond hair that stopped slightly above her waist, a form-fitting red shirt, and blue jeans.

"How can I help you?" I asked them cautiously. I knew their type - they were the alpha females at the top of the social pyramid that got all the boys they wanted and made high school a living hell for just about anyone they didn't like.

"I'm Amy. You must be new around here, so let me give you some advice. Stay out of our way and don't think about trying to steal our boyfriends. Especially stay away from the Swim Team Captain, he's mine." Amy hissed. The girls behind her nodded in approval.

I rolled my eyes in disdain. "I already have a boyfriend, so that shouldn't be an issue. Now get out of my way." I said firmly as I glared with contempt at the entourage of misfits before me. We continued to glare at each other and then Amy and her friends walked haughtily away, mumbling amongst themselves.

I rolled my eyes one more time to recover from that encounter - I think I might have actually lost a few brain cells during that interaction. As I continued walking trying to find Percy and my locker, I heard snippets of conversations. A lot of girls around school seemed to be talking about the Captain of the Swim Team and how amazingly hot and muscular he was.

I snorted skeptically to myself - _Sounds like another Grade-A witless wonder; ie. your stereotypical jock. _I thought to myself.

I heard a girl squeal, "He's soo dreamy. The way his black hair is always wavy and messy and his smile just drives me crazy, and don't even get me started on his eyes! They are simply gorgeous!"

I saw her friend nod in agreement, "Yeah, but too bad he claims to have girlfriend. No one believes him, but he's turned down every girl that has asked him out, even Amy."

I started to get more intrigued. I smiled to myself, judging by their description, I understood who he was.

I finally got to my locker; it was hidden away in some obscure corner of the school. I put all of my books in and collected myself. I closed my locker, determined to find Percy. I turned around and saw him to my right, leaning against the wall surrounded by 4 other guys. He was dressed in a Sea Green V-Neck that matched the color of his eyes, black jeans, and a pair of Converse. His black hair was just as messy and windswept as always. It had grown longer though, so now it barely covered his eyes, but that just brought out his eye color even more. I swear, Percy's eyes get greener and sharper everytime I see him. He flashed his trademark lopsided smile at a joke and my heart skipped a beat. His friends laughed a little and then they said their goodbyes, leaving him alone.

I put on a large smile and was about to go surprise him when I saw a girl walk up to him. She was a brunette and incredibly beautiful, and like me she wasn't wearing makeup. She stood in front of Percy and I saw them smile at each other. They began talking intently and Percy put his hands in pockets while the mystery girl held her books in front of her.

"_Oh my gods - who is she? Why is she talking to Percy? Is she flirting with him? What's going on?!" _A thousand thoughts flew threw my head.

"_Relax, Percy would never flirt with another girl. She's probably a friend or something."_ I reasoned, trying to calm my raging thoughts and emotions.

I saw the mystery girl laugh, showing off her perfect white teeth. As the conversation progressed, she absent-mindedly began twisting her hair around her finger, smiling the entire time.

"_Oh wait, there might be something going on here."_ I frowned and pursed my lips.

Percy said something and the mystery girl laughed again. Then she wrapped her arms around Percy, hugging him tightly, and then she quickly gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Blushing, the girl scampered away and Percy stood there smiling as she walked away.

"_Houston, we have a problem."_


	2. Author Note

**This is an Author's Note - I know it sucks but before you storm away in anger and leave, just hear me out. I think a little bit of background info about me and the story is necessary in order for you to understand why I have done things a certain way. I believe that this will maximize your enjoyment of my writing.**

**1. I am a boy in highschool. **That means two things - I don't know clothes very well, girls very well, or how girls think very well. Second, it also means that I have an exorbitant amount of school work and extra-curriculars on top of that.

**How does this affect you? **Regarding the first point - excuse me/forgive me if I make generalizations about girls, how they think, how they talk, how they behave, or how they dress. I have only gone off of my experiences. Additionally, I know some readers might give me a hard time about being a guy and writing romance novels, so I would appreciate it if these comments were kept to a minimum. Second, my frequency of uploads are directly correlated with my school work.

**2. I intend on updating weekly. **I will do my best to stick to that - but, again, if I have things going on, that might change.

**3. I was sick of reading Fanfictions that made Annabeth seem like an unintelligent person. **So, I made her schedule unbelievably difficult to show some contrast between her intelligence and everyone else. (Sidenote: Her high school schedule reflects most of my classes this year. Guess which ones?)

**4. There will be no monster shenanigans in this particular series. **I think that it detracts from the experience. My job is to develop the relationships between the characters so that they seem real. I hate reading fanfictions where the relationships seem incredibly shallow and superficial, and where content seems forced into place. (Looking for a very good Percabeth fanfiction story? Try "The Life and Times of Percy & Annabeth". It's super good but super sappy.)

**5. Characters from the the original POJ and the newer Roman series will make an appearance. **This might take a while for me to work it into the story without making it seem forced. (Have any characters you are dying to see? Comment, and I will do my best to fulfill your desires).

**6. I will do my best to keep profanity and/or sexuality out of the stories.** I suspect that half of you just groaned in disappointment. However do not fret! I might do another series just for all of you hormone raging teenagers that are dying for amazing lemon stories, I already have one in reserve. If I get enough requests, then I might release it. Otherwise, I have no intention of seeming like sex-obsessed teenager.

**7. I am going to try to tailor my writing to the character I am writing about. **Most of you might think that was a tautological statement and it is to a certain degree. What I mean is, when I write from Annabeth's perspective, there will be more sophisticated language involved, references to other attractive males, things regarding architecture, etc. This is to make each POV as realistic as possible - I want you to know what they were thinking in a natural way.

**8. I am a little torn on the romanticization/over-exaggeration of everyones appearance. **Not everyone in high school looks like a god (see what I did there?). Most of us are down right ordinary. How this affects the story is that I hate myself for making Annabeth and Sarah look like super models. This extends to all of the other characters in the story. I am trying to find a realistic balance between "Oh My Gods Attractive" to "Completely Ugly". Things might change as they go.

**9. I edited my first story, so for those of you that read the first one I apologize. **I read the story again this morning and I retched when I saw the plethora of grammatical errors, missed words, and general incoherence. My Lang and Comp teacher would have gone crazy! I am pleased to announce that the revised version of the story has proper grammar and syntax, including some minor revisions that made the story more cogent. For those of you that read the original but couldn't spot the revision, I made Annabeth guess who "The Swim Team Captain" was based off of the descriptions of the two girls. I mean, Annabeth is not so stupid that she wouldn't have guess who he was. You know what I mean?

**10. I write very very long stories. **For some of you this is a very good thing. For others of you, that might not be so appealing. I apologize in advance for ranting on. You can see that evident in this ridiculously long Authors note. Sorry!

***DISCLAIMER*: **I do not own any of the characters from Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians". I do own all of the characters in the rest of the story, including but not limited to: Amy, Sarah, Nate, and many more. However, I am not so trite as to be overly possessive of my intellectual property. If any wishes to use my characters in another fanfiction I would be honored. Just make sure that you send me a link!

**Thank you all for the glowing reviews of my first story! All three of you, hahaha! This was my first fanfiction story so I am glad to know that someone liked it! Please feel free to offer suggestions, constructive criticism (key word there is constructive), and approval if you think that I am doing something right!**

**10/21/12**


	3. Houston, We Have A Problem

**Chapter 2 - "Houston We Have A Problem"**

**Annabeth's POV:**

_Houston, we have a problem..._

I saw the beautiful brunette kiss Percy on the cheek in slow motion. For an instant, all of the thoughts whirling around my head stopped. They just stopped. I, a child of Athena, did not think of anything at that moment. The instant the girl broke away and scampered off, I looked dazed. I was confused, my whole world seemed to spin around me.

Then that feeling vanished and was replaced by anger, uncontrollable anger. I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I quickly wiped them away. It took me a second to realize that I was marching over to Percy with every intention of slapping him. He still smiled like a goofball, but that just made me angrier.

_"Not only did he let that girl do that, HE LIKED IT!" _I thought in complete frustration. _"When I get my hands on that no-good, kelp-for-brains, cheater of a boyfriend, I am going to make him wish he were never born!"._

Percy turned and saw me storming his way. At first his face registered shock, then disbelief, and then a huge smile broke across his face. That just made even angrier.

_"I'll show him! Smiling at me like a goofball after he got slobbered on by that horrible girl!"_

His smile slowly disappeared when he saw me change from a walk to a run. I dropped my owl satchel and drew my arm back for a punch. Percy frowned and then his face registered worry. I shot my arm forward, but before I could punch him, he drew me in a for a big hug. I couldn't control my tears any longer, they just came torrenting down my face. He pulled me close and I felt his face pass by the right side of my face, passing through my hair.

"Hey, Annabeth, What's wrong?" he asked softly close to my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"YOU! H-HOW COULD YOU LET HER DO THAT!" I stammered in frustration. _Gods, of all the times for me to be unable to talk, this was the worst._

"Hey, hey, Annabeth calm down, it's not what you think it is. Just let me explain." he said quietly. I stopped crying and I broke away from him. I didn't want his hugs.

Percy reached out to try and hug me but I said, "Don't. Just don't," in a low menacing voice.

He retracted his hand looking hurt.

"You don't need to explain anything. I saw the whole thing happen. You just stood by and let that skank hug and kiss you. And that's not the worst of it, you smiled afterwards like you enjoyed. How long have you been cheating on me Percy?!" I said quietly but firmly, letting all my hurt pour into my words.

Percy hardened his gaze and I could tell I had gone too far, but I didn't care. I was livid.

"Annabeth, don't ever call her a skank. You don't know what's happened, so for once in your life, listen to what I am trying to tell you." he said harshly.

I recoiled and looked up at him. "_How could he be so insensitive?!_" I thought exasperatedly.

Percy's demeanor softened when he looked into my eyes and suddenly he looked very tired. I pursed my lips and slapped him across the face. He looked shocked and then incredibly sorrowful. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to hold him and profess my love for him after I saw how distraught and sad he looked.

"_Don't" _I cautioned myself, "_He's the one at fault here, and he deserved that."_

"How could you do this to me Percy? After all we've been through, I thought I meant more to you than that. But now I see that I was only a toy for you and that you have no feelings for me." I whispered quietly.

"Annabeth, don't say that. You know how I feel about you." Percy said in quiet desperation.

I turned around and began to walk away when I felt his hand on my shoulder, gently holding me in place.

All my rage, desperation, hurt, and shock burst forth like a river and I turned to slap him again. This time however, Percy was expecting it. He deftly caught my wrist mid-swing and in one fluid movement, twisted me so that I was facing away from him and he pulled me backwards and I fell into his arms. My tears came pouring down my face again. Percy held me for awhile and then leaned in close and kissed my neck. I felt something like electricity shooting throughout my body.

Percy turned me around so that I faced him. He took one hand and tucked it under my chin, gently raising my head up so that I was forced to stare into his gorgeous sea green eyes. His eyes reflected sorrow, hurt, but above all loneliness. In that instant I knew how Percy must have felt these past few months - all alone in a mortal school without me. I instantly felt guilty for leaving him so alone here and my tears sprung anew. With his other hand, he gently brushed away my tears with his thumb. When I opened my eyes I saw him standing there, the light behind him seemed dim in comparison to a halo of light that hovered around his head.

"_My angel" _I thought in awe.

He looked straight into my eyes with his piercing, green ones and firmly said, "I love you Annabeth, and I would never do anything to hurt you." Then his voice dropped quietly, "Will you ever forgive me?" he said gently.

I knew he was completely sincere and that he was telling the truth. Percy put his thumb on my trembling lower lip and caressed my face. He smiled lovingly at me in his signature lopsided manner and I melted. All the negative feelings churning around in my head just washed away at the sight of my boyfriend.

_"My boyfriend" _I echoed in my head, "_My loving, caring, gentle, sweet, and amazing boyfriend." _

I smiled weakly and then suddenly I threw myself at him, kissing him as passionately as I could. I saw his eyes open wide in surprise but then close as he got caught in the moment. I broke away gasping for air and he looked down at me fondly. He leaned in, his forehead touching mine and I froze, captivated.

"Looks like I finally got my kiss, didn't I?" he said coyly.

"Is that all you can think about Seaweed Brain?" I asked with a smirk. He leaned in closer and gently kissed the tip of my nose.

Then he drew himself back and whispered, "You're all that I can think about."

I leaned forward and hugged him tightly. We stayed like that, me holding him as tightly as I could, hoping that I would never have to let go. The bell rang and signaled the beginning of our trek to our first class. I didn't let go, relishing his embrace. I felt him smirk into my hair.

"Umm, Annabeth?" he said gently.

"Yes Seaweed Brain?" I said looking up from his chest.

"I think we should probably go to class. Being late on your first day isn't a good way to kick things off." he said with a smile.

I smiled and said, "Yeah you're right. Let's get going".

**Percy's POV:**

I took Annabeth's hand in mine and I felt her squeeze tightly as if to steady herself from all that had happened. My mind was filled with worry and disappointment. I was disappointed with myself - I felt like I had let Annabeth down. I know I hadn't down anything wrong, but I should have stopped Sarah from doing that. She didn't deserve that and I resolved to keep her happy to the best of my abilities. The gods knew how lucky I was to have her.

Annabeth looked up at me with her beautiful gray eyes, trying to read my thoughts. I didn't want her to know what I was thinking but I knew that I couldn't hide anything from Annabeth.

"What're you thinking about?" she said as we walked down the hall.

I looked down at her and smiled weakly, "Just how lucky I was to have an understanding and amazing girlfriend like you." I said.

I smiled when I saw Annabeth blush, "Percy, don't tease me, like that. I am being serious!" she said.

"So was I" I whispered.

**Annabeth's POV:**

I leaned in closer to Percy and sighed contently. My gaze hardened immediately when I looked forward and saw that brunette again, waiting outside of her classroom.

"Who is she?" I whispered quietly.

I could feel Percy looking down at me, trying to decipher what I was thinking. He eventually shook his head like he was giving up. I don't blame him, even I don't know what I was thinking as I looked at her. A million thoughts were flying around in my head, but I couldn't shake feeling apprehensive and jealous when I looked at her.

"That's Sarah Madison." he said quietly. I looked up at him, trying to gauge how he felt about her.

"She was my first real friend here at Goode and she's been here for me through tough times" he grimaced. His eyes glazed over as he looked at her, as though he was reliving some painful memories.

"I see" I said stiffly.

"Annabeth, she's just a friend. Try to be nice to her. You don't know how much she's helped me." Percy pleaded quietly.

I looked at him again to see if he would elaborate.

He went on in a low, anguished voice, "It's just been hard being so alone and she's always been there for me. You can't begin to understand how alone I was without you."

My expression softened immediately and I felt guilty again. "I am so sorry, Percy. I should've been here for you, this is all my fault." I murmured quietly.

"It's not your fault at all Annabeth. All I ask is that you try to give her a chance." he said.

"I'll try" I said weakly, smiling up at him.

"I can't ask for anymore than that." he grinned. He leaned down and gently kissed me.

**Percy's POV:**

"Well I better get to Greek 6." I said after we broke away.

"Oh, what teacher do you have?" Annabeth asked inquisitively.

"Mrs. Ramos" I said.

"No way, we have the same class together! You have to show me your schedule once we get inside the classroom. We might have other classes together." she said.

"Yeah, of course!" I laughed.

"Let's go and learn something we already know!" I said mock cheerfully. Annabeth giggled and I felt butterflies in my stomach. She had such a beautiful laugh.

"There it is! I finally got you to laugh" I said triumphantly.

Annabeth chuckled, "Well I hope you're happy Seaweed Brain. Come on, let's go inside." she said as she led me inside.

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews everyone! I went back to my other story and changed the formatting as per the recommendations of you all. Thanks for giving me suggestions! I hope that they are easier to read now. Here is another uber long story for you all, hope you enjoy it!**

**Another quick note - Reviews=Encouragement. I won't be a review whore, but just know that I enjoy your reviews and they encourage me to continue writing. The more reviews I get, the more incentive I have to update quicker. So please please please review!**

**10/21**


	4. And The Plot Thickens

**And The Plot Thickens**

**Percy's POV:**

**Junior Year Schedule - Goode High School**

**Hour 1: Greek 6 - Ramos ... 8:10-9:10**

**Hour 2: AP Biology - Reynolds ... 9:20-10:20**

**Hour 3: AP Calculus AB - Thomas ... 10:30-11:30**

**Hour 4: AP European History - Randolph ... 11:40-12:40**

**(Lunch - 5th: 12:15-12:40)**

**Hour 5: Honors English: Classic Literature - Blofis ... 12:50-1:50**

**Hour 6: AP Physics - Harding ... 2:00-3:00**

_**Have a Good Day at Goode!**_

Annabeth was looking over my shoulder at my class schedule, her hands pressed against my desk. Her golden hair cascaded down my shoulder and onto my desk. I closed my eyes and inhaled, smelling her hair - she smelled like cookies and strawberries. I was seated and looking at her schedule, trying to see if we had any classes together.

"Hmm, okay, we have Greek, Euro, English, and Physics together." said Annabeth. "I'm impressed Seaweed Brain: AP Bio, Euro, Calc, and Physics all in one year? Maybe you actually don't have kelp for brains after all!" said Annabeth with a tinge of pride.

I looked up at her and smiled. "I'm smarter than you give me credit for Wise Girl, but thanks anyways." I said with a smirk.

Annabeth blushed, "I wasn't saying that you were stupid Percy."

I laughed at her distress which only made her blush further.

There was still about 7 minutes till class began. I looked around the class and wasn't surprised to see the same faces from first quarter. Goode sometimes switched students into different hours for reasons still unknown to me. I saw Ryan, Shaun, and Jack - my fellow swim teammates - hanging out the back of the class room. They waved at me and I nodded in return. I was a little unhappy to see that Amy and clique were still in my class. They were engaged deep in conversation about going to mall and breaking up with boys or something. Amy had recently taken to following me around everywhere I went. I sighed. No matter how many times I turned her down, she always came back strong, as if I might change my mind in a day. Gods, she was like a human hydra.

The rest of the class was fairly innocuous and not really distinctive, except for Sarah. Sarah wasn't in my class last quarter but I guess she got switched this time around. She sat diagonal to me, in the bottom right. I felt a little nervous and began fidgeting with my hair. I looked up and saw Annabeth staring at Sarah, like she was trying to decide whether she should throttle her or just go introduce herself.

_"Oh gods! She's coming over here!" _I thought, bracing myself for whatever was going to happen next.

"Hey Percy! It's good to see you here!" Sarah said cheerfully as she walked over to my desk. She stopped to look at Annabeth, who was still leaning on my desk.

"Hello! My name is Sarah Madison! You must be new here. Are you a friend of Percy's?" she asked innocently. I prepared myself, ready for the sparks to fly.

Annabeth broke into a huge smile. "Yeah, I just transferred here from California. My dad got a job as a Professor at Columbia. And this witless wonder here is my boyfriend!" Annabeth said happily.

I frowned. _There's gotta be something weird going on here. Annabeth's actually being nice to Sarah? _I thought cautiously.

I looked up at Annabeth but she seemed genuinely interested in conversing with Sarah. However, her eyes gave her away. I saw distrust in them, but that was only because I knew her so well. A stranger would have been completely fooled. I grimaced.

_"We're going to have to talk about this later." _I thought grimly.

"Ooh, Percy, let me see your schedule." said Sarah. She looked over my shoulder, her glossy brown hair tumbling down my shoulder. I felt incredibly uncomfortable. She was mimicking Annabeth's earlier movement, nothing out of place. Coincidence? I think not.

"Oh wow Percy! We have all the same classes together, that's great!" she chirped happily.

_Gods, Annabeth is going to be pissed about this. _

"Wow, that is great Sarah! I look forward to seeing you more often!" I said genuinely. Annabeth must have picked up on that too because her eyes narrowed and she folded her arms over her chest.

_This isn't going to turn out well. _

The teacher walked into the room and saved me from an awkward encounter.

_Whew!_

**Annabeth's POV:**

That was the first time I actually got a good look at Miss Sarah Madison. Remember when I said she was beautiful. Yeah, you're going to have to scratch that - she was drop dead gorgeous. Not in the fake popular way - she was just genuinely beautiful. She didn't wear any make up but her cheeks had a natural rosy color and her skin gave off a vibrant glow. She had these almond shaped, royal blue eyes that would have turned any guy she looked at into mush. Her smile was also dazzlingly brilliant. In summation, she was perfect in every way.

I watched her prance away back to her chair after the teacher came in. Sarah was wearing a pair of well-worn blue jeans and a old looking red flannel shirt. It occurred to me that Sarah might not be someone that was accustomed to a lavish lifestyle, but her looks compensated for her clothes. Let me put it this way, if she wore a garbage bag, she would still look as gorgeous as I would in designer clothing. I've seen some beautiful girls in my day, the Aphrodite cabin was full of them, but this girl was something else. I couldn't help but feel threatened.

I caught Percy staring at me as though I was a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any second. He was fidgeting with his hair, twisting around and around his finger so that it looked even messier than before. I resisted the temptation to laugh - he looked so uncomfortable. I let out a sigh and found my seat, behind of Percy, to the left of Sarah.

_I trust Percy. He wouldn't cheat on me, but I still have to be cautious about this all. _I thought to myself glumly.

Ms. Ramos was a short, plump hispanic woman but she had a flawless accent, whether it be Greek or English. She was a pretty good teacher and in other circumstances I would have enjoyed myself, but there was just too much going on in my mind. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Percy steal a nervous glance at me to check if I was alright. I leaned my head on my hands and rolled my eyes.

Percy wore a weak smile, his eyes though still filled with worry seemed temporarily abated. I smirked at how seriously he was taking this, it made him look absolutely adorable. Percy frowned, unclear of what I was smirking about. He merely shrugged his shoulders and looked forward and I did the same.

Sarah cast a furtive forward glance at Percy but then whipped her head back quickly, blushing furiously. I narrowed my eyes again. She definitely had feelings for Percy but I didn't know what to do. I think Sarah is decent enough to respect that Percy is taken, but I couldn't help feeling like I had a very narrow lifeline to him. If I made a wrong step, he could be hers quickly.

I snorted derisively. _The Aphrodite girls must be rubbing of on me. Calm down Annabeth and pay attention to the teacher. You need to have a little more trust in Percy and yourself - you've known each other since you were twelve. He won't just forget about you. Remember, Mom was the one that said his fatal flaw was his commitment to his friends. _

I forced myself to focus on Mrs. Ramos and the rest of the hour went by quite quickly. After the bell rang, Percy walked me over to Mr. Thomas's room. We stood outside of the classroom just holding and looking at each other in loving manner. Then after a minute or two, I leaned in for a quick kiss and then broke away.

"I'll see you at lunch Percy!" I said as I walked into Mr. Thomas's room. I saw Percy put one of his hands in his pockets and wave sadly.

I walked into the class room and was immediately taken aback by its appearance. This room was completely different looking than any other one I have seen in a high school. The walls were covered in drawings of various mathematical graphs, formulas, and equations, extending all the way from floor to ceiling. Some of the ceiling tiles actually had drawings on them too. I couldn't help but grin - the atmosphere here was completely different than any where else in school. Students began to mill into the class room, socializing and eventually sitting down. The desks were arranged in pairs, each in three rows of 6 - in total, there were 36 desks in the room. I sat down and soon a blond girl and her brunette friend plunked down next to me. I tuned out for their conversation waiting for the teacher to enter.

Mr. Thomas came in a few seconds before the bell rang again. He was an elderly man, somewhere in his late 50's early 60's, but he moved spryly and with the energy of a man 30 years younger. He wore a button down shirt tucked into black pants, and a pair of glass hung from his neck. He came in with a stack of papers and set them down on his desk and then he moved in front of the classroom, clipboard in hand.

"Alrighty everyone. Would you all please find your seats? Oh wait, I have a seating chart right here!" he smiled, waving his clipboard in the air. The class groaned in protest.

"Well I have to finish attendance first but before that, we have a new face in here! Everyone welcome Annabeth Chase! Annabeth, would you kindly stand up and show everyone who you are?" he said with a smile.

I stood and waved, I heard a few murmurs running through the class but it seemed like almost everybody approved of me. I felt at ease when I sat down again. Mr. Thomas began to go down the attendance list. "Evelyn Adams!" he started.

The blond next to me introduced herself as Mr. Thomas went down the list, "Hi! I am Megan and that is Elizabeth. You can call her Liz for short" she gestured toward her brown haired friend, who turned and smiled.

"Must be rough transferring your senior year." said Liz.

"Actually, I am a junior and it's not too bad - my boyfriend goes to school here and everyone seems really nice." I said.

"Oh wow, you're only a junior and you're taking Calc 3? You must be really smart!" said Megan.

"Megan Rider! Sheesh Megan, stop harassing the new girl and stand up!" said Mr. Thomas in mock irritance.

Megan went pink and let out a squeak to indicate that she was here.

"Nathaniel Sawyer!" Mr. Thomas called out.

A tall, serious looking boy with hair as dark as midnight lazily waved his hand. Megan and Liz made eye contact with each other and squealed.

I raised my eyebrow questioningly.

"Nate's a prodigy! He's a junior like you, but he's the smartest person in this class, maybe even the whole school!" Liz said breathlessly.

_We'll see about that_. I thought, smiling inwardly.

"But Nate's really mysterious. He doesn't have any friends and he looks really sad all the time. All the girls he looks at just crumble, and want nothing more than to help him. He's really good looking too!" Megan chimed in.

I regarded Nate again. He was very good looking.

_But still not better looking than Percy. _I thought smugly.

He had a tan complexion and that wavy black hair that hooded his eyes, giving him a serious and mysterious look. His body was well toned and his arms were strong and muscular. But what stood out the most was his eyes. They seemed to give off multiple colors, like the color of a rainbow. But they were filled with an immeasurable sadness and I instantly felt sad and sympathetic.

_He looks like he's gone through a lot._

"Does he have a girl friend?" I asked curiously.

Megan and Liz snorted. "You're interested in Nate? I thought that you already had a boyfriend." said Liz teasingly.

I turned red and stammered, "No, I'm just curious since you both seem to be making such a big deal about him."

Megan smirked, "Yeah sure, I'm not convinced. Can't blame you however, he's a dream boat. Well anyways, no girl has ever managed to talk to him. Even the most confident amongst us just melt when he looks at us with those sad, gorgeous eyes."

"You're forgetting Mackenzie Lamson" Liz said quietly. "Apparently, she asked him out and he just walked away from her without a word. Completely broke her heart." she murmured.

I looked up to see Nate giving my a sidelong glance and when our eyes met I saw something flash in his eyes. It was a mixture of recognition and incredible agony. I resolved to learn more about him.

Mr. Thomas finished going over attendance and then began to issue seating charts.

"Nate and Annabeth, right here." said Mr. Thomas.

I felt myself go red. Nate put his face in his hands. The whole class burst out in mumbles, groans, and murmurs. Liz and Megan groaned, "Lucky!" they said.

After Mr. Thomas finished, I shuffled over to my spot and sat down. Nate walked over and slid into his chair. I couldn't help staring at him. Nate wore an unbuttoned blue plaid shirt with a white V-neck underneath and a pair of black jeans. He wore a red, woven bracelet on his right wrist that looked hand made.

_Well, I might as well introduce myself. _I thought dryly.

"Hi! I'm Annabeth! Pleased to meet you!" I said happily.

Nate merely buried his face in his hands again, ask if it to say, "_This can't really be happening." _I frowned and turned away, irritated.

_Wow, no response? I just said hello, jerk... _I thought belligerently.

I saw something silver flash around his neck. I identified it as a locket. It must have fallen out when he put his head down. I studied it closer - it was a silver broken heart, about as big as quarter. I fell into a deep reverie wondering what it contained as Mr. Thomas began to teach.

I looked up and began to pay attention. Mr. Thomas was an amazing teacher - probably the best I ever had. He wove humor naturally into his lesson, teasing his students and engaging in self-deprecating humor. He talked with a charisma and energy that made me smile and kept the entire class engaged. I almost felt sorry when the bell rang and the class was over.

"Okay, that's it for today. Everyone pack up and do the assignment written on the board." he said.

As I gathered my things, I thought about Nate again. The girls weren't exaggerating. He was brilliant. He finished all the problems with ease, even quicker than I did. He didn't say a single word the entire hour or look at me. In fact, apart from that split-second interaction at the beginning of class, he didn't even acknowledge me. He just spent most of the hour absent-mindedly fidgeting with his locket.

I was about to walk out of the room when I saw Nate approach Mr. Thomas, his black backpack slung across his shoulders.

"Are you here to take my job and start teaching the class? Maybe I can retire early." said Mr. Thomas jokingly.

Nate cracked a smile and I felt my heart skip a beat. I felt myself get annoyed again at how much importance I was giving him.

"Not just yet Mr. Thomas." he said playing along. His voice was really soothing and calm, but most of all it was ridiculously persuasive. I felt myself shiver. If he asked me to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't hesitate. I suddenly realized it was the first time he had said anything the entire day.

"Actually, it's about Annabeth." he said. I froze in between the door, straining to hear what he had to say against the commotion of the halls.

"Please don't make me sit next to her." he said tersely, his voice cracking with emotion.

**A/N - I apologize in advance, this chapter is obscenely long. In the words of Mr. Thomas, "I believe they have a word for that. Oh yeah: perverse."**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this one as much as I did. Next chapter will definitely have some Sarah and Nate POV's. I hope you guys like Nate - he's definitely going to be my favorite character. Why is he so sad? What's his background? What problem does he have with Annabeth? All will be revealed, so stay tuned!**

**Side Note 1: Nate's eyes have nothing to do with Edward's from Twilight, I find that comparison offensive. Haha.**

**Side Note 2: Mr. Thomas was my AP Calc teacher and is currently my Calc 3 teacher. His room is exactly how it is described in the fanfic, and so are my descriptions of him. Definitely the greatest teacher that I have ever had. **

**Anyhow, please review/favorite/follow! But mostly review - gotta love those reviews. Also, I make an effort to personally respond to each review that I read. It really means a lot! Thanks!**


	5. Unspoken Debts

**Unspoken Debts**

**Sarah's POV:**

Today might actually have been the best and worst day in my life. Just this morning, I gave Percy a hug and I finally got the courage to give him a kiss, albeit a small one on the cheek, but still! I kissed Percy! Just the thought of it made me want to stand up and do a little happy dance, but I refrained. I looked to forward and let out a little sigh. There he was, sitting there in all his wonderful glory. I was surprised that I hadn't turned into a puddle after hanging out with someone as attractive at him. I buried my face in my hands as Ms. Reynolds droned on about the difference between actin and myosin microfilaments.

The thing I like the most about Percy is his personality and the way that he treats his friends. He goes out of his way to help a friend in need and I seriously admire him for that, having experienced it first hand. Being muscular, good looking, and having an adorable smile didn't hurt his case any either. I grinned as I looked at him scrunching his eyebrows in concentration, twisting his pencil around his fingers. He looked so endearing when he did that.

My thoughts changed to Annabeth. I would be lying if I said that I didn't envy her. I mean, how lucky could a girl get? Being Percy Jackson's girlfriend is the dream for pretty much every single girl at school. It's not that she didn't deserve him either. She was insanely beautiful and I can tell that she's a nice person. She's perfect for Percy - she keeps him focused and out of trouble. I just feel sad because I thought things were finally going my way for once, but then things took a 180 degree turn.

_I still owe Percy for what he did for me... It's settled then, I won't interfere with his relationship. I know it'll be hard, but if Annabeth makes him happy then I can't get in the way. I owe him that much. _

Unconsciously, my mind wandered back to the past and I relived the worst times of my life...

_I was poor, I still am poor, but that was rock bottom for us. My father and I lived in a small one bedroom apartment in the inner city, by the Bronx. We barely had enough money to pay rent and eat, let alone buy new clothes. Most nights, I went without any food, but my father didn't eat for weeks on end. Whenever he got his hands on food, he would always give it to me instead of keeping it for himself. _

_I never knew my mother, my dad never mentioned her. It was alright though, I liked dad enough to compensate. If he had had better luck then he might have been an actor or a model - he was gorgeous, but he had the worst luck._

_I went to some school in suburban New York. I don't remember its name anymore. I hated it there. The kids made my life hell after they found out that I wasn't as rich as them. The popular girls were the worst, they tormented me daily. I was called a variety of names, each more terrible than the last. There were times when I would cry myself to sleep at night. At one point, I couldn't take it any longer so I transferred to Goode._

_That wasn't much better - after Amy found out, the whole cycle started anew. I think popular girls are like dogs, they can sniff out poverty. Amy was worse than anyone was in my old school. My low point was somewhere near the end of first quarter my sophomore year when suicide started to look like a really good idea. Sounds extreme, but my life had sucked ever since I could remember. I figured being dead might be an improvement compared to living every day in perpetual misery and poverty._

_One day, Amy went a little too far and I broke down at school. That was the first day I met Percy._

_I remember it like it was yesterday. Amy was giving me crap about my clothes but when she started to insult my dad by calling him a no good "lazy ass" slob, I couldn't help it. I started crying in the middle of the hallway. Amy smiled with satisfaction as the rest of her friends sneered._

_"Enough. Amy stop this right now. Leave her alone!" I looked up, surprised that anyone would stick up for me._

_I was shocked to see Percy standing in front of me with his hands spread out as if to defend me. I saw him turn around and give me a small smile, and I stood shocked at the events unfurling before me. Amy and her friends looked as shocked as I did._

_"Percy? Why are you helping a loser like her? Why don't you just come with me? I promise I'll show you a good time..." Amy said seductively._

_"I'm not going out with you. Not now. Not ever. I can't believe anyone could go out with a monster like you." he said firmly._

_"Now, I'm not going to ask again. Go. Away. And. Leave. Her. Alone." said Percy angrily through gritted teeth._

_Amy and her friends trembled under his rage. Amy opened her mouth to say something but thought twice when she saw how serious he was. She and her friends left, muttering the whole time._

_Percy turned around to face me and his gaze softened. I couldn't stop crying and I hated myself for it._

_"I'm so sorry that you had to do that for me. I'm so sorry. I'm weak. I'm noth-" I stopped midway as Percy wrapped me in his arms in a deep embrace. My tears stopped instantly and I froze, my arms dangling stiffly at my sides. Slowly I raised them and wrapped them around him. He was so warm and he smelled like an ocean breeze. I breathed in his scent and felt myself becoming even calmer. I could have stayed there for the rest of eternity._

_"It's alright. I've got you now. I'm sorry you had to hear all that. Amy just doesn't know when to quit, but this time she crossed the line." he whispered into my ear._

_He drew himself back and then smiled at me. His green eyes piercing through me, reading me, possessing me, filled with affection. At that moment, I knew I was a goner - I was hopelessly and madly in love._

_"Why does it have to be so hard? Why does everyone hate me?" I asked him, my voice trembling with emotion._

_"Because you intimidate them. You're everything that they aren't, everything that they wish they were." he said softly, looking down at me._

_"What do I have that they don't? They have everything: friends, money, boyfriends..." I let myself linger on the last word._

_Percy looked straight into my eyes and said, "They don't have your courage, your personality, but most of all they don't have your beauty."_

_I gasped. _Could he be serious?

_"You're beautiful Sarah, more beautiful than any of them will ever be. You have something they don't, you're kind, and that's the most beautiful thing in the world. And you do have a friend: you're looking at him. If you're ever feeling down, come and see me and we can talk until you feel better." Percy spoke genuinely and honestly, and I knew that he wasn't lying._

In one way, Percy saved my life. I never thought about suicide again after that day. Ever since then, Percy and I have been best friends. He's my only friend, and I share everything with him: all my hopes and dreams as well as my fears and nightmares. He knows me better than anyone else in the world. Someday I hoped that Percy would see me the way I saw him: as more than a friend. But it never came.

When I asked causally if he had a girlfriend, he would say that if he went out with anyone, a certain someone would never let him live with himself. I used to think that he was joking and that he would eventually ask me out. Now today, I discovered that he actually had a girlfriend the entire time.

_Life is so unfair, _I moped.

Percy turned to me and raised his eyebrow quizzically. I just put on an apologetic smile and shook my head to indicate nothing was wrong.

_I wish_. I thought as I put my head on my desk.

**Nate's POV: **

_Blinding headlights. A speeding car. A beautiful girl's loving smile. Blood. _

All of these images flashed through my head when I closed my eyes. It was nothing new, I hadn't seen anything else since last June.

I smiled weakly as I walked through the halls on my way to Mr. Thomas's class. _My mind has become my tormentor. _I thought glumly.

I opened the door and sat as close to the windows as I could. I needed to see the sun to take my mind off of things. It surprises me that I can still think academically when I had gone through so much these last few months. Still, I was slowly losing my grip on things. My life has become a giant nightmare. I can't remember the last time I slept without waking up screaming, drenched in sweat.

I was the first to get to class. I always was. I had finished just about every relevant course this High School had to offer. I had transferred from Florida this past summer. I couldn't live there any longer, not after everything that happened. My superior intellect had allowed me to test out of just about every class that my old school offered and those credits spilled over here too. The short of it was that I didn't have many classes left to take.

I didn't notice when people came in because I was so engrossed with my own thoughts. My eyes began to droop and I felt exhausted.

_Don't. _I reminded myself.

I haven't slept for over 1 month now. I suffer from an extreme case of insomnia brought on as a result of my post-traumatic stress disorder. Everytime I go to sleep, I see everything happen again and I lie there helplessly as I relive my worst memory every night, branding it freshly in my memory. That's over now, I can't sleep even if I want too.

I almost didn't notice when she walked into the class room, the blond girl with gunmetal gray eyes.

_Kirsten?! _I thought in shock and disbelief.

Had I finally lost my grip on reality? What was going on? I grit my teeth and froze in panic, suffering invisibly as the rest of my class talked happily amongst themselves.

The new girl sat down somewhere near the back, in the middle row. Soon she was soon joined by a few other girls and then Mr. Thomas came in to do attendance. He introduced the new girl and she waved politely before she sat back down.

_Annabeth Chase. Fate has a cruel sense of humor. _I thought in agony.

I stole a glance at her after Mr. Thomas started doing attendance. She was talking to her friends but then she abruptly looked up and met my eye. I looked away quickly.

_She looks exactly like her_. I thought in bewilderment. For once, I was hopelessly confused. I found the feeling... unsettling.

And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Mr. Thomas had us next to each other on the seating chart. I wanted to tear out my hair and cry out in frustration.

Annabeth was already in her seat by the time that I made my way over to mine. I slid into my chair and immediately buried my face in my hands.

_This can't be happening. Not now. _I thought in exasperation.

"Hi! I'm Annabeth! Pleased to meet you!" she said happily.

I didn't acknowledge her. I was afraid if I said anything, I might lose it and break down. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her turn her head away with an irritated look on her face.

_Good. The less we get to know each other, the better. _I thought dryly.

Over the next hour, it took every ounce of willpower not to start a conversation with her. I felt extremely self-conscious and nervous sitting next to her. I stole a furtive glance at her again and turned back again quickly. I closed my eyes and painted a mental picture of her using my eidetic memory.

_She's beautiful... _I thought to myself. I instantly felt a wave of nausea accompanied by repulsion at the thought. I tried to forget I ever thought that.

_She looks regal - like a queen sitting besides me. _I subconsciously began playing with my locket to tether myself back to earth. I turned it over and over again between my fingers. Doing so calmed me down.

After class was over, I was resolved to change desks. I couldn't endure this; if I had to for another day, then I would drive myself insane. I walked over to Mr. Thomas's desk, my backpack slung around my shoulder.

"Are you here to take my job and start teaching the class? Maybe I can retire early." said Mr. Thomas jokingly.

I cracked a small smile. Mr. Thomas always made me feel better.

"Not just yet Mr. Thomas." I said playing along.

"Actually, it's about Annabeth." I said slowly, trying to think of how I was going to word my next sentence.

"Please don't make me sit next to her." I said tersely, my voice cracking with emotion. It sounded more like a desperate plea than a harmless request.

Mr. Thomas stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Is there anything wrong with Annabeth? Do you have a good reason for wanting to switch?"

I hesitated. _How was I going to explain this to him?_

"Umm, nothing specifically. I would just really appreciate sitting somewhere else." I said slowly, picking my words carefully.

Mr. Thomas sighed. "I can't just change your seats around for no apparent reason. What would Annabeth think? Unless you have a good reason, you'll have to stay where you are now." he said.

I closed my eyes in pain for a split second. I understood that I wasn't getting anywhere.

I gave him a terse nod. "I understand." I said curtly and then I swiftly left the room.

My eyes began to smart and I wiped them away quickly.

_Nathaniel, get a grip. Pull yourself together, you still have 4 hours to go. _

I couldn't shake my feelings of dejection and worry. I walked into an unused stairwell, and pulled out my locket. I pressed a small silver button and it opened. I could feel my hands shaking.

I looked inside at the picture of a girl. She was smiling, and had a happy look on her face. Her hair was wavy and golden blond just like Annabeth's, but her eyes were a pale, icy blue. She had her arms around someone but the other person was cut out.

"I am so sorry, Kirsten." I whispered quietly, clutching the locket so hard, my knuckles turned white.

**A/N: I have actually had more time than I thought, so I have decided to upload daily just to keep the momentum going. Comment, favorite, and review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's a little shorter than the other one, but that's probably a good thing...**

**It was oodles of fun to write from Nate's POV since he "thinks" very similar to me. Don't worry though, I am not an insomniac suffering from PTSD.**

**The title represents Sarah's debt to Percy and Nate's debt to Kirsten. More on his story in the coming chapters. I hope you all are excited!**


	6. Anytime Nathaniel

**Anytime Nathaniel...**

**Annabeth's ****POV:**

The rest of the day passed by without too much craziness happening.

Except for lunch. Sarah, Percy and I sat with a bunch of Percy's other friends, most of them were from the swim team, but there was enough diversity to make anyone feel comfortable. I noticed Nate sitting at a table by himself, staring at the ceiling. There was a mob of girls at a table near him, just sighing dreamily and giggling at him. Nate didn't seem to notice them.

_He doesn't even have any food with him._ I observed.

Percy followed my gaze and his eyes narrowed.

"Who's he?" he asked inquisitively, pointing at Nate.

"Oh, that's just Nate. He's my desk partner in calc class." I said nonchalantly.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Percy asked thoughtfully.

"Not really no." I said.

"Well, why don't you invite him over. I hate to see people sitting all by themselves." said Percy

I shrugged my shoulders and got up to leave, but not before giving Percy a quick kiss.

"Be right back Seaweed Brain!" I said happily.

I made my way over to Nate's table and he looked up at me questioningly. His eyes seemed to be constantly changing colors: purple, green, blue, pink, amber. I held my breath. Why was it so hard to talk to him?

"Hey Nathaniel." I said happily. I don't know what prompted me to call him by his full name, but calling him Nate didn't sound quite right.

His pupils dilated instantaneously and then returned to normal before I could notice anything out of the ordinary.

"Hello. Annabeth right? Can I help you?" he asked politely but slowly as though I might suddenly pull a knife on him. His voice was still incredibly soothing, melodious almost. No wonder the girls fell for him so easily.

I blushed slightly and stammered, "I was wondering if you wanted to join my friends and I. I can understand if you don't want to..." I trailed off.

Nate looked at me like I was going to ambush him or something but then his expression softened, "I don't think that would be such a good idea." he muttered.

"Oh, well feel free to come join us if you change your mind!" I said breathlessly.

He just looked at me with those sad eyes. I turned around to walk back but I hesitated, biting my lip. I could feel him staring at me.

_He seems so alone. _I thought to myself sadly.

I turned back around and sat next to him. I put both my palms on my thighs and leaned forward. I could feel Nate's fan club glaring daggers at us.

His pupils did that thing where they dilated again, as though he couldn't believe what was happening. Then he wore an expression of polite amusement.

I frowned. "What's so funny?" I asked, puzzled.

"Nothing, you just remind of someone that I used to know." he said quietly and then his voice became sad again and I mentally kicked myself.

"Is it something you want to talk about?" I asked politely.

Nate turned to face me and studied me, as if to see if I was lying. Then he shook his head and his jet black hair tousled around. "No, thanks for asking though." he said very quietly.

I sensed that I should probably leave. I got up and Nate looked up at me. I started walking away when I felt his hand on mine. I turned around and looked down at him.

"Thanks for trying to talk to me Annabeth. I am sorry that I am so bad at holding a conversation." he said with a weak smile, his eyes glistening with sorrow.

My expression softened, "Anytime Nathaniel. If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me." I said softly.

He flinched when I used his full name again, and I could feel his hand shake imperceptibly and then he quickly withdrew it. I frowned again.

_Did I do something wrong?_

"Would you prefer that I call you something else?" I asked him softly. I could tell that using his full name bothered him.

Nate looked up at me again and a flurry of emotions flew across his face.

"No, you can call me that Annabeth." he said with a forced smile. I could still tell that he was bothered by it, but his consent meant that I was at least making progress. I went back to the lunch table, but it wasn't till I sat down, that I realized my heart was racing.

**Percy's POV:**

After Annabeth broke away I saw her make her way to Nate's table. I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

_There's something about him that makes me feel uncomfortable._

I shrugged and diverted my attention away from the pair of them. Sarah looked at me with a smile on her face.

"What?" I asked. "Did I do something funny?"

"No, it's just cute the way that you act around Annabeth." she giggled.

"Hey!" I said in protest. "I don't act any differently with her than I do with you." I scoffed indignantly.

Sarah rolled her eyes and said, "Sure, whatever you say Percy."

I scowled and crossed my arms over my chest.

"When did you and Annabeth meet?" Sarah asked inquisitively.

"Oh we met at a summer camp that we both go to about 4 years ago." I said.

"You've been going out since you were twelve?!" laughed Sarah.

"Nah, we've only been going out since August." I said.

"What's Annabeth doing over there?" Sarah gestured at her.

I turned around, Annabeth was sitting down next to Nate. They two of them seemed like they were having some deep conversation. I frowned unconsciously.

"Be careful Percy, he might steal her away!" said Sarah jokingly.

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "There's no way Annabeth would cheat on me. We've been through too much together for that to happen." I said with a chuckle.

**Nate's POV:**

_"Anytime Nathaniel. If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me._

Those words that Annabeth said kept echoing in my mind.

_Why did she call me Nathaniel? No one's ever called me by my full name except for Kirsten. _I mused silently. _Those two are far more similar than I could have imagined._

I hadn't eaten anything - my appetite has been very strange for the past few months. Talking with Annabeth made me happy for the first time in months and I felt my appetite returning. I had assumed that I wasn't hungry due to my depression, but Annabeth seems to be pulling me out of it.

_I have to talk to her some more. It gets my mind off of things. _I resolved as I stood up and made my way towards the lunch line.

**A/N: This chapter was really short compared to my other ones, but it's just a filler. The next chapter will be more eventful. I also want to apologize, I haven't been delivering that many Percabeth moments because I have been busy creating the background, introducing characters and whatnot. The next chapter will be far more exciting. **

**Thanks! Don't forget to review and favorite. If I get 5 reviews by 4 tomorrow, I will post two special awesome chapters chockfull of Percabeth awesomeness. My next chapter will be a taste of things to come. Enjoy!**


	7. Special Delivery

**Special Delivery**

**Percy's POV:**

The next few days went by quickly. Having Annabeth here at school with me was a blast. We always messed around and caused general chaos in our classes. It was really nice because I had Annabeth to help me at home with my homework. It was like a having another teacher. Except an insanely beautiful and perfect teacher who happens to be my age that enjoys making out and killing monsters.

Oh, I forgot to tell you all. Annabeth was living with my mother and I. After I found out she was staying in some crappy motel, I instantly offered to let her stay over. She put up a fight at first, but I was stubborn and eventually she agreed. Monday, after swim practice, we walked to her motel and grabbed all of her stuff and moved it into my house. My mom was ecstatic and did her best to make Annabeth feel at home. We didn't have a guest room in my apartment, so I offered Annabeth my bed and I slept on the couch. This took a little longer to convince Annabeth.

_"No Seaweed Brain, I am not making you sleep on your couch! Besides, your bed probably is probably infested with ... I don't know kelp or something." she said throwing her hands up in exasperation._

_I smiled, "Annabeth, I assure you, my bed is perfectly fine and you're my girlfriend. I would be the worst boyfriend ever if I made you sleep on the sofa." She opened her mouth in protest but I cut her off, "I'm not taking no for an answer, Wise Girl." _

_She just pursed her lips and crossed her arms across her chest, acknowledging that I wasn't going to let her have her way with this. I smiled and bent in to give her a light kiss. _

_Afterwards I said cheerily, "Now come help your amazing boyfriend with his calculus homework!"_

_She let out a groan but she helped me anyways._

Annabeth had recently discovered the wonders of Call of Duty. She caught me playing once after she finished her homework. She started to go off on a rant about me not finishing my homework or something, but I was way too engrossed in the game.

"Percy?! Are you listening to me?" she shrieked.

"Not now Annabeth, I am one kill away from a chopper gunner." I said in frustration.

Even without looking at her, I knew Annabeth was rolling her eyes. I heard her mutter something that sounded suspiciously like "Boys..." I lost my streak shortly after and I let out a loud groan.

Annabeth marched her way over and stole the controller from me, waving it high in the air as I vainly tried reaching for it. I was too lazy to stand up and get it from her. I let out another groan.

_Maybe having Annabeth live here wasn't such a good idea. _I thought irately.

Turning back to the screen, I screamed in surprise, "Look out Annabeth. Guy at 2 o'clock!"

Annabeth let out a yelp and held down a button, shooting the player before he knew what was happening. Annabeth wore a triumphant smile.

"Hah! Take that loser!" she yelled at the TV.

I smirked and tried to take the controller away from her, but to my surprise she just sat down and began playing. After two games, Annabeth consistently had the most kills every game. She quickly became addicted, playing the game with increasing frequency. It got to the point where she stopped doing her homework right after school, making a beeline for the TV instead. If something messed with Annabeth and her homework, you knew it was a serious priority. Best girlfriend ever? I think so too.

But that aside, I walked out of the men's locker room after I had my shower. Swim practice had just finished and Annabeth and I were going out to go catch a movie. I stepped out of the locker room and I saw Annabeth waiting in the hallway, wearing a troubled expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" I said with worry.

Annabeth snorted, "That moron, Amy came over and talked to me. She told me that she didn't believe that I was your girlfriend, that I didn't deserve you, and that you would soon be 'hers'. Gods, is she slow. It took her till the end of the week to realize that you and I were dating."

I shuddered. I didn't like to think what would happen to me if I was "Amy's".

"Come on Annabeth, we should get going. The movie starts in 40 minutes and it will take me a while to drive through all the traffic." I said.

I put my arm around Annabeth's waist and we walked down to my car. The movie was pretty awful, but we had a good time anyways. We quickly got a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant and after that we drove home. I parked the car by my house and we walked over to Central Park since it was close by. It was chilly enough to see your breath but not uncomfortably cold. It was the second week of November but it still hadn't snowed. Annabeth and I walked around the pathways and eventually we sat at a bench and just talked for a while.

"This is our first proper date, huh?" I said with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess it is. It's the first time we haven't run into a group of monsters that wanted to floss their teeth with our spines or something." Annabeth laughed.

"Geez Annabeth, Call of Duty has made you more gory hasn't it." I said smirking.

Annabeth's eyes twinkled as she grinned mischievously in response.

We continued to talk for a little while longer, content to discuss matters of trivial importance.

"Well we should start heading back." I said a little while later.

Annabeth pouted, "Do we have too?".

"Yeah, otherwise my mom will be super worried. Oh gods! I forgot to get my mother her package from the post office!" I said worriedly.

"Your mom got a package? Well, we can just pick it up on the way back home." Annabeth said thoughtfully.

I smiled. "Boy is she gonna be happy when we get home." I said teasingly. I stood up and before Annabeth could react, I picked her up and slung her across my shoulder.

"Hey! Put me down!" she protested, but she couldn't stop laughing.

"Geez, UPS packages are getting larger these days!" I said with a smile as I walked back home. Annabeth half-heartedly pounded my back and asked to be put back down, but she mostly just laughed the entire way home.

I opened the door with one hand. "Mom! Look what I brought you! Your package is here!" I called out.

My mom walked out with a puzzled look on her face, "What package Percy? Oh..." she said, barely containing a smile at the sight of us.

I walked in, pretending to be serious. "Mom, have you seen Annabeth anywhere? I could've sworn she was with me when we got to the post office. I was so busy picking up your special delivery that she must have left." I said jokingly.

"I'm on your shoulder you dolt! Now put me down Seaweed Brain before I go all Call of Duty on you!" she yelled.

I trucked over to my room with a smile and dumped Annabeth on top of my bed. Annabeth turned and pretended to stare daggers at me, but then broke into a huge smile. She pulled me down on the bed and we kissed.

"I should go to the post office again soon." I quietly with a smirk on my face.

Annabeth just smiled rolled her eyes, "I don't think UPS delivers girlfriends, Seaweed Brain." she said in mock seriousness.

We kissed a little bit more, and then we went over to the sofa with a blanket to watch another movie.

"You kids want some hot chocolate?" called my mother from the kitchen.

"Yes! Thanks!" we both said together.

My mom walked over with two mugs of piping hot chocolate under her arms. She wished us good night and then went to her room to get to bed early. Annabeth and I sipped our hot chocolate as the movie started. My mom continued the theme of blue food and put blue marshmallows in our cups. Annabeth and I cuddled under the blanket, absorbing each others warmth.

The movie wasn't that great so we just ended up making out, which was fine by me. When we finished Annabeth rested her head on my chest and I played with her blond hair. We had turned off the movie and were just sitting in the dark, enjoying each others company.

"Seaweed Brain?" asked Annabeth softly.

"Yeah?" I whispered.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been here for you since camp ended. I was so focused with redesigning Mt. Olympus and school that I didn't realize that I hadn't talked to you in a long time. I have been such a bad girlfriend and you don't deserve tha-" she began but I cut her off, kissing her sweetly.

"There's no need to apologize Annabeth. I am just glad that you are here with me now." I said quietly. I drew her close and wrapped my arms around her, enjoying the feeling of her body pressed against mine.

"I love you, Seaweed Brain." said Annabeth quietly, staring into my eyes.

"Me too, Wise Girl." I replied, and I went back to playing with her hair.

As we sat there, wrapped in each others arms, I thought about how lucky I was to have a girlfriend like Annabeth.

_I wish I could just stay here with her like this forever." _I thought fondly.

I didn't notice Annabeth looking up at me with a grin on her face. "What are you thinking about?" she asked teasingly.

I felt my mouth go dry. "Just wondering how a Kelp Head like me ended up with a girl like you." I said softly.

Annabeth turned as red as a tomato and now it was my turn to grin.

"Percy, any girl would be lucky to have you. You're so caring, sweet, and gentle, it's no wonder every girl at school has a massive crush on you at school." she said just as quietly.

"But you're not just any girl are you? You're my Wise Girl, and I am never letting you go." I said and then I leaned in for a kiss. We kissed for a little while longer and when we broke away, I laid down on the length of the sofa and Annabeth curled up on top of me.

I folded my arms lightly around her, forming a protective cacoon around her. Annabeth rested her head on my chest, right next to my heart. She traced outlines of letters on my chest with her finger.

"What're you writing?" I asked her curiously.

"This Seaweed Brain is Property of Annabeth. Please return if recovered." she mumbled and I let out a chuckle.

_Typical Annabeth. _I thought as my eyes grew heavy and I began to nod off.

Somewhere outside an owl hooted and flew away. I looked outside at the stars twinkling in the night sky and then I took one last look at the angel collapsed on my chest. I leaned down slowly, to avoid disturbing her and I kissed her hair gently, lovingly.

_Sleep well Annabeth, my perfect little angel. _I thought with a smile.

And we slept like that, content, wrapped in each other's arms.

**A/N: That was by far the most mushy thing that I have ever wrote/read. Hey, I promised you Percabeth awesomeness and I would like to think that I delivered. Let it never be said that all boys don't have a romantic side to them. You have your proof right here. Hurry up with those reviews you guys and gals (not being sexist). Remember, 5 new reviews = 2 super special stories. You only have four more to go. Thanks to Vote4EmmatheFuturePrez for sending in the first review. Trust me, they are the best ones yet, so please get them in by tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this.**

**PS: I am sorry if this is a little out of character for Percy. This is just how I think and I interpret him to think. I don't mean to offend anyone. I appreciate any suggestions for improvement.**


	8. But Wait There's More!

**Hey guys, thelostrelic here with another Author's Note. I promise this one will be shorter. I have thinking about my 5 review proposition and I have decided to raise the stakes. If I get 5 reviews by tomorrow at 4, then I will stick to my promise and post 2 special stories filled with Percabeth goodness. **

**However, if I get 7 new reviews by tomorrow afternoon, then I will post a special story about Nate. This Nate chapter was originally not going to be a part of the series since it isn't very relevant to the main plot line, but it's a pretty great story if I do say so myself. It will be about Nate and his adventures in Florida, before he became so sad and depressed. It will let you see him in a brand new light and make reading about him all the more valuable. Trust me, you don't want to pass it up - it's a heart wrenchingly beautiful story. **

**The longer the reviews are, the quicker the stories will be released. If I get reviews from 3 new people (ie: people who haven't reviewed before) I will upload the next chapter (independent of the bonus chapters) by tomorrow night. It's a very important chapter that explains Nate's backstory and why he moved from Florida, who Kirsten is, and why he feels so uneasy around Annabeth.**

**But as the old adage goes - You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. So ultimately it is your call. If you want these 3 special stories then get in 6 more reviews, you are already down two, 1 of which is from a new reviewer, so you are really close.**

**I sound like Billy Mays or one of the other telemarketers. Sham-wow! Oxyclean Stain Remover! BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! **

**Well enough of that. Thanks for all your support, I can't thank you all enough for how well you've received the stories. **


	9. A Not So Quick Author Note

Hello everyone. I am writing to inform you all that I am extending the deadline for the Billy Mays offer (that's what I'm calling my bonus story offer). **The new deadline is by Friday 4 o'clock I want 10 reviews for the Percabeth stories, 15 for Nates story, and 5 new reviewers for the expedited Nate's backstory. **

**I will also be implementing the following changes to my stories, effective immediately:**

**1. I am going to take this whole thing slower**. Updating multiple times a day is sucking up too much of my time, making my writing worse, giving me anxiety, and making it hard for you all to process everything. I am updating multiple times in a single day and it makes me want more reviews but I realize that this is fundamentally impossible unless I give you all some time to process what's going on. This in turn is giving me anxiety issues - so for the sake of my own sanity, I am going to slow down.

**2. I am also implementing a review cap**. I will only update after I get **_5 reviews on each story_** (with the exception of my Author Notes). I don't think that's too much to ask since all you seem to be enjoying the story so much. I know that I initially said that I wouldn't be doing this but I think it is in everyone's interest to slow and allow you all to savor and process the stories.

**The specials are an exception: I WILL NOT WRITE THEM, IF YOU ALL DO NOT MEET THE DEADLINE.** This isn't an attempt into pigeon-holing everyone into writing false reviews - it's just an incentive to get you all to start vocalizing how you feel about the direction that the story is progressing.

**3. My rationale behind the aforementioned changes -** My insistence upon receiving reviews stems from the fact that I very much wish this to be a 2 way process. I want this story to include my thoughts AND your suggestions. I need to know if you all are fine with how things are going, if I need to change things, or if you think you have a really cool idea that you would like me to incorporate in the general plot line. I think that it would be very unique if you all channeled your thoughts into my already vague plot ideas, so in a way it would have elements that were my own and yours. I think monopolizing a fanfiction is stupid - if I wanted to write a story that was entirely mine, I wouldn't mooch off of another author and I would write my own book. If you wish, I will also give a shout out at the beginning of each chapter if your suggestion/review was incorporated. I think that this is a creative process that all of us will find enjoyable.

As always let me know if you think that _this_ itself is a good. If you feel very passionately that this fanfiction should be written only the way I want it to be written, then please let me know. I want you all to know that I take your suggestions very seriously. I have already begun to implement your suggestions. For example, someone sent me a message saying that Annabeth would never think Nate was more attractive then Percy. I thought about it and after I concluded that it was a sensible suggestion, I went back to the original story and tweaked it.

In addition to that, the conversation/paragraph layout, character personalities and thoughts, encouragement all have caused me to change the original versions of each story. I have taken this all into account. **Ultimately I tailor my stories for you** - if they were for me I would write my own book or at least not publish for the world to see.

If you all have anything to say (as long as it's not hateful) then send it over. It encourages me to continue and allows me to make the literature much more enjoyable for you all. I want you all to know that these changes were hard for me to make - if I had my way I would publish 3 different chapters every day. I just don't want to monopolize this because that would ruin my purpose in writing these stories.

Thanks for all your support! The amount of views on my stories just today is staggering and dwarfs the amounts that I have had for the last two days. I know you all are reading, I just need you to tell me how I am doing. **Favorite, Follow, and Review! You are done with three reviews - keep it up!**


	10. My Seaweed Brain

**My Seaweed Brain**

**Annabeth's POV:**

I got up drowsily. I pushed down with my hands and I realized that I was sleeping on top of Percy. My cheeks instantly reddened, but died down once I realized no one was awake yet. I looked outside: it was still dark and the stars twinkled in the night sky. I turned to the clock on the wall.

_3:04._

I turned back and looked down at Percy. His arms were still folded, as if he was holding me. I smiled when I thought about what he said before I fell asleep.

_I wonder if he meant everything he said._. I thought doubtfully. I shook my head almost immediately, _Of course he did, Percy would never lie to me. _

I sighed. This whole thing with Sarah had been secretly stressing me out more than I let on. I felt like I was losing Percy and that unless I fought to keep him, he would just slip away.

_Just another person to walk out of my life. _I thought bitterly.

Looking down at his sleeping form I realized that he was about all I had. Luke was dead, Thalia was off leading the huntresses, Nico was AWOL, Grover had his duties as a new Lord of the Wild, Chiron was tasked with accommodating all the new campers, my father was still in San Francisco, and my own mother had been strangely silent since the Titan War ended.

_He gave up immortality for me... _I reminisced in the darkness.

How could I ever compensate for all of the things he has done for me? How could I ever show him that he meant so much to me that I would give up anything for him? Does he know that I would go to the depths of Tarturus for him?

I have been selfish and brought him nothing but pain. Looking back now, Percy had been right about Luke all along. But I had treated him poorly in comparison, even though it was Percy who had been there for me for all these long years; Percy who had never betrayed my trust, never wavered in his commitment.

I tried to think from his perspective: He had sacrificed so much on my behalf. He gave up being with Calypso and escaping the prophecy for me. If I was in Percy's shoes, a child of the prophecy, and I washed up on a magical island whose sole inhabitant was a beautiful Titan that offered me immortality, I don't know if I would have had the strength to resist.

_How is he so pure of heart? _I wondered quietly.

I had always called him Seaweed Brain, to tease him about my superior intellect. Now I realized that Percy was always a greater person than I ever was. He had character that never wavered, and his flaws which had always seemed so blatantly visible to me, seemed to drown away insignificantly in the face of the sacrifices he made for me.

I felt a lump in my throat that refused to go away. I was in danger of crying again.

Before he had fallen asleep he had said that he wondered how someone like him ever ended up with a girl like me. The truth is, I was the lucky one. I always was. I just never knew it or acknowledged it until now.

Memories of everything Percy ever did for me came rushing back, and I sat there in the dark, as tears silently rolled down my cheek.

_I saw Percy fighting away the Fury's. Percy risking his life to protect me from the monsters at the Sea of Monsters and killing the cyclops there. I saw Percy's face distorted in agony as he screamed my name, while I plunged into a fissure with the manticore. I saw Percy show up at and take the weight of the sky from Artemis's back. I remember the expression on Percy's face after I kissed him at Mt. St. Helens. I saw Percy walk out of the ocean while I stood in front of his burial shroud. I saw Percy leading the campers against the Titan forces. I saw Percy fight toe-to-toe with Hyperion and Kronos. I saw Percy turn down immortality, to the complete and utter bewilderment of Zeus. Finally, I saw Percy smiling as we were thrown into the canoe lake and him making the air bubble that allowed us to share a kiss with each other underwater._

A croak escaped my throat as I fought back a sob. My body trembled from head to toe.

_You're the perfect one. You always have been. And I am so sorry for every selfish thing that I have ever done to wrong you. You were there for me when no one else was, when no one else cared. And I feel so lucky... no blessed, to know you, and I am proud to call you my boyfriend. _I thought.

I didn't notice that my face was hovering inches away from Percy's until I snapped out of my reverie. A few strands of hair fell from my head down onto his face, and my hot tears dripped onto his face. I held my breath and silently pushed them aside. I bent down close and sweetly kissed Percy, full on the mouth. I kissed him over and again, trying to make up for my general lack of affection. I hated myself for it, kissing Percy repeatedly to try to show him that I loved him was such an insignificant gesture that it made me start crying again.

Percy stirred and I let out a quick gasp as I scuttled backwards. He opened his eyes slowly, stifling a yawn with his free hand.

"Annabeth? What're you doing up so early? What time is it?" he asked drowsily.

I didn't say anything but instead wiped away my tears quickly to try to hide that I had been crying.

Percy felt my tears on his cheek with his fingers and frowned in the darkness.

"Annabeth, what's going on? Why are you crying?" he said trying to pull me into his arms.

"Percy, I have to tell you something." I said quietly.

"Yeah sure Annabeth, what is it?" he said softly.

"I just want you to know that I understand that you have sacrificed so much for me, and I am incredibly grateful towards you for that. You stood by me when Luke betrayed, you came to rescue me from Atlas, you came back from Calypso's island when you could have stayed, and you gave up immortality to be with me -."

"Annabeth - " Percy began softly, leaning towards me, but I cut him off. "Please let me finish." He sat back down again and crossed his arms over his chest, listening intently.

"I just wanted to tell you that I am more grateful to you for what you did. I just wish I could reciprocate... You have done all of this for me and I haven't done anything for you in return, so I just feel lost. I don't know what I can do to make up for what you have done for me." I said earnestly, pausing for effect.

"You told me before we fell asleep that you wondered how someone like you ever ended up with a girl like me. The truth is, I was the lucky one. I always have been. And I am so sorry that I treated you so poorly and acted so selfishly. I never told you that I was grateful for what you did because I was too stupid to realize it. Looking back on everything that you did for me, I honestly don't know what I did to deserve you." I said, feeling awe, bitterness, and happiness all at the same time.

Percy looked at me for a while without any change of emotion.

"Say something..." I pleaded. I was beginning to get nervous.

_Did I do something wrong?_

Percy began slowly as if he was trying to choose his words carefully. "Annabeth, do you remember what I told you, right before we got ambushed and thrown in the canoe lake?" he said thoughtfully.

I frowned, "Yeah, but I don't see what that has to do with anything."

Percy held up his hand to stop me, "It was about what I thought about when I waded into the River Styx. I walked in, and every cell in my body felt like they had caught on fire. I was quite literally melting away. The only way I could stop from dissolving, was to anchor myself in someway." he continued, speaking deliberately.

"At that moment, I could have thought about many things, but the first thought that came into my head was that time when I fell out of the boat when we were on the canoe lake, and you pulled me out. I chose to anchor my very existence to a memory of you. That's how much you mean to me. What I am trying to say is, I never thought about doing any of those things. I did those things because I knew that I would never have been happy if I let you go. I refused immortality because you wouldn't be there with me forever. I would rather die together with you, than live an eternal life without you." he finished.

My jaw dropped and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "How can you do those things for me? What have I ever done to deserve that?" I asked in reverence.

"Because I love you Annabeth." he said simply.

"When I say that, I don't say it because it sounds nice or because I want to lead you on. I say that because that's the quickest and easiest way for me to say that I am ensnared and beguiled by you. Everything about you: your smile, your eyes, your hair, the way you look when you think really hard, the way you cross your arms over your chest when you get mad, the way you laugh, the way you call me Seaweed Brain, and the way you hold me when I hug you." he said quietly.

"There's no reason or formula that can quantify why I feel the way I do about you. I only know one thing for certain: Without you, my life is absolutely meaningless and not worth living. You've stolen my heart Wise Girl, and I wouldn't have it any other way." he said quietly.

I melted and broke down crying, not tears of guilt and sadness like before, but tears of happiness. I threw myself at Percy and he held me quietly with a nervous smile on his face. I turned towards him, took his face in my hands, and kissed him passionately.

"I know that this isn't enough, it can't be enough, but I love you. So much." I whispered to him, pouring all of my love into those few words. That would never be sufficient to compensate for what he did, but it was a start.

Percy caught on to the tone of my voice and understood how distraught and agitated I was.

"Here" he said gently, putting his thumb underneath my chin. He gently lifted my face so that I was forced to look directly into his beautiful sea green eyes, that grew luminescent in the moonlight.

Percy's eyes pierced through my body, my mind, and my soul. All of my emotions, everything I felt for him lay bare and I hungrily stared into his eyes offering my feelings as compensation. Percy gazed into my eyes a little longer and once he had seen everything, I felt a slight tremor run through his body. I was shocked to see tears welling up in his eyes. My face fell.

"Annabeth..." he choked heart wrenchingly. At that moment, I knew that he understood how I felt. When words weren't enough, this was how we communicated. Heart to heart. I pulled him in close and he rested his head on my chest as tears ran down his face. I bent down and kissed his tousled hair lovingly.

Once Percy finished crying he sat up and I brushed away the remaining tears with my thumb, mirroring his exact movement only a few days before. He gave me a weak smile and stared at me lovingly.

"Come on, I have to show you something that I think you'll enjoy seeing." he said quietly. He took my fingers in his hands and padded towards the door that led to his balcony. He opened it and we walked into the cool night air. I was confused, there was nothing here to see.

I turned to face Percy to point this out, but I stopped. His eyes were shut firmly, his arms outstretched, and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. The moon was full and cast an ethereal glow on Percy, enveloping him in moonlight.

_He looks like a god._ I thought fondly.

Percy opened his eyes and a gust of wind blew our way. I opened my mouth to tell him I didn't understand what had happened, when I felt a raindrop hit the top of my nose. This was followed by several more droplets until we stood in the middle of a storm that enveloped all of Manhattan.

I looked at Percy in awe. "You can control the weather now? When did you learn to do that?" I asked with a laugh.

Percy turned to me with a sheepish grin, "I can only make it rain, and I felt something inside me telling me I could just a few seconds ago." he trailed off.

The rain began to pour torrentially and Percy took a step forward his arms outstretched. He began to move his hands in fluid motions, the path of which made a sphere like object. I frowned looking at Percy.

I gasped suddenly when the water droplets began to mirror Percy's movements and formed the base of a sphere. Percy extended his hand to me and I took it instantly. He stepped onto the railing of his balcony and onto this spherical water base. I looked at him nervously but then stepped with him.

I let out another gasp when I realized that the base of the sphere behaved like a solid. Percy smiled and the water droplets formed a cacoon around us. Once the sphere was complete, it began to rise quickly, much to my surprise. It ascended straight upwards. I looked at Percy in awe and he simply gave me a sheepish grin which morphed into his signature lopsided smile when we suddenly stopped.

I turned away from him and I inhaled sharply. We were floating above New York City in our little bubble and we could see the entire city, in all it's enchanting glory. I looked hungrily at everything. The bubble began to move around the entire city, giving us a close up view of the entire skyline. It was an architect's paradise. We flew over Central Park, Times Square, The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building, Broadway, and a ton of other places.

Then the bubble flew even higher than the Empire State Building and stopped, letting us view the entire city again. I turned to Percy again with a hard, blazing look on my face. I knew I would cherish this memory forever and that I would love him forever. For the umpteenth time that day, I threw myself at that boy.

"Haha, be careful. You don't want to break the bubble." he laughed nervously.

"Sorry." I said with a smile. "You did this all for me?" I asked softly.

"Anything for you Wise Girl." he said and treated me to his signature lopsided smile.

My legs turned to jelly under his gaze and I didn't protest when he leaned in and kissed me, pouring all of his love for me into this simple act as I did the same. He broke away and with a mischievous smile he picked me up bridal style without warning. Our little bubble began to whip back to his tiny apartment and he leaned down and kissed me sweetly on the lips one final time.

The last thing I saw before I fell asleep in his arms was the moon reflecting on Percy, casting a godly aura around him as the New York Skyline flashed around us.

_My Seaweed Brain._

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this story. It was super long and gushy, so I apologize. Definitely my favorite story that I have ever written, but forgive me for the awkward sentence structure, minimalist style, and general clumsiness. This story was meant to be raw and was therefore intended to show a contrast from my usual writing style. **

**This story reflects how I view Percy's sacrifices - I don't think most of us give him credit for making some incredibly difficult decisions. I think that this interaction was practically ignored in the actual series and that really bummed me out. I am sorry that there is so much crying but I honestly felt emotional writing this and I hope that comes across when you read it.**

**I imagined the song "Your Hand In Mine by Explosions in the Sky" playing while I wrote the bubble scene. If you truly want to make this story special, I advise playing that in the background while reading this story.**

******This is the first part of a double feature I am throwing you guys as a reward for giving me 841 views in ONE DAY. I have no words to describe my amazement and I feel nothing but gratitude. **

**Follow, Favorite, and Review!** **Two more reviews left before I write the Percabeth stories, 7 more for the Nate story.**


	11. Silent Screams

**Silent Screams**

**Nate's POV:**

_It was dark outside when I walked out of the mall, dragged by a girl. I looked at her and she smiled and I felt happiness, I could just stand there all day and look into her eyes. She leaned in for a kiss, but before our lips met, the scene changed._

_"Nathaniel, no!" screamed the girl._

_I turned to see the car bearing down on me, coming full speed. I stood paralyzed, unable to move, and my legs turned to jelly._

_Out of the corner of my eye I saw the girl sprint towards me. _

_A few seconds before the car hit me, I felt something tackle into my side pushing me out of the way._

_The girl stood for a second. I stared at her, mortified._

_"It's alright, Nathaniel. Everything's gonna be okay." she said as she closed her eyes and smiled lovingly at me._

_"NOOOO!" I screamed as the car hit her head on._

_Blood burst everywhere obscuring my vision. _

"Kirsten, no!" I awoke sitting upright. My hands were clenched, my body drenched in sweat, and my blood ran cold. I shivered and looked at the clock, gasping for breath. The rain outside pattered against the house, but I ignored it completely.*****

4:17, Saturday.

_What do you know, I fell asleep. _I thought to myself sardonically.

I covered my eyes with my hands. I noticed now that they were trembling. I clenched and unclenched them, deep in thought.

_The same dream, again_. I thought glumly. I have had that same dream for the past 3 months. Some nights I might see more of what happened that day, and on others I would see a shorter version, but one thing never changed: the ending. It always ended in her death. No matter what, I always saw her die and I always woke up screaming her name, telling her to get away.

_"It's alright Nathaniel. Everything's gonna be okay."_

Those words played back again and again. At first I heard it repeated individually, but then it began to crescendo, overlapping, creating a discordant symphony.

"No, stop." I plead, holding my ears, trying to drown out the sound. But the noises only increased in volume until they became deafeningly loud.

I curled up, surrendering to it, tears welling up in my eyes. I opened my mouth and let out a silent scream, drowning in my own misery.

"_Everything's gonna be okay_." whispered the voice sweetly, haunting me, one final time. And then it stopped abruptly.

I stayed like that, curled, for a little while longer before I felt comfortable and calm enough to sit up straight. I forced myself to take deep breaths, paying close attention to my heart rate. Once I returned to breathing normally, I pondered how I fell asleep.

_I haven't fallen asleep for a long while now, why did I suddenly do so today? _I thought, biting my lip.

Then I thought about what happened earlier in the week, when I recovered my appetite for the first time in a few weeks.

_Did talking with Annabeth have such a powerful effect on me?_ I thought, my eyebrows creased in concentration._  
_

Being around Annabeth confused me: I didn't know how I should feel. On one hand I really loved talking to her; she was intelligent, funny, and beautiful. On the other hand, I could never feel truly at ease around her because I always felt incredibly guilty around her.

_How am I supposed to reconcile my feelings for a girl I just met, when another girl sacrificed herself for me._ I thought in frustration.

The answer is so obvious: I should get away from Annabeth and stay true to Kirsten. But that was the infuriating piece! I couldn't just forget about Annabeth and I hated myself for it. On top of being intelligent and ridiculously pretty, she reminded me so much of Kirsten that it was impossible to resist the temptation to be with her. I would never be able to live with myself if I tarnished Kirsten's memory and the significance of her death by falling for a girl I had just met. But I also know that I would eventually fall in love with someone; I couldn't just be a bachelor for the rest of my life.

I sighed. The thought of betraying Kirsten's sacrifice was the most horrific thing that I could do. Falling for a new girl, only a few months after her death was the ultimate form of treachery. I would never do anything to betray what I had with her, even for a girl like Annabeth.

I was resolved. I would not fall for Annabeth, but I wouldn't push her away anymore either. I would just be a friend to her. Being with her did have some positive effects on my life and I deserved to feel happy after how tough these last few months had been. This compromise allowed me to get the best of both worlds: I could spend time with Annabeth and stay true to and respect Kirsten's sacrifice.

I allowed myself a sardonic smile. _At least I have a plan of action now._ _I refuse to spend another day tormenting myself. Being friends with Annabeth represents the first step of forgiving myself. _

Having a plan that I could follow to ease my pain had a cathartic effect on me. For the first time in months, I had found a way to cope with Kirsten's death. I laid down and let out a sigh of content. Before I drifted off again, I forced my eidetic memory to resurface the image of Annabeth sitting next to me at lunch, leaning forward with her hands pressed on her thighs. Her eyes shown brightly and reflected an unmistakable sense of eagerness. Then I consciously changed the image to Kirsten's loving smile, the one she made moments before she died.

I felt a lump in my throat that refused to go away. Everytime I thought of her, I wonder what prompted her to give her life for me.

_I never got to tell her how much I loved her. I would do anything to have the chance to tell her how I felt._ I thought sadly to myself before I surrendered to sleep's unescapable embrace.

**A/N: First, I want to thank you all again for the amount of views this series has received in such a short amount of time. Second, more good news for you all: YOU'VE QUALIFIED FOR THE PERCABETH SPECIAL! Yay! XD! Third, you are only two reviews away from the Nate story, so keep them coming. Fourth, instead of waiting for 5 reviews for the next actual story for the plot line, I have decided to make a slight change. This time, I am only requiring TWO REVIEWS, but here are the conditions: They must be longer than the average review (make it at least 3 sentences) on how you felt about Annabeth's guilt/Percy's sacrifices in the last chapter OR the resolution to the last chapter. (I kinda feel like an english teacher assigning an essay, LOLz). **

**I know this chapter is kind of short, but it is super important and meaningful. I also hope I didn't ruin Nate's aura of mystique with the dream he had at the start of this chapter. I struggled with it more than you could imagine, and I ultimately couldn't find a satisfying way to present it. This chapter is also kind of a downer, as was the last chapter, so I apologize. I just have a mordant/dark personality I guess. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the story and as always: Follow, Favorite, and Review. **

***Did you catch the reference to the last chapter? The rain? I am so proud of myself. That ladies and gentleman, is called continuity and parallelism. **

**PS: (Sorry I know this is long) The Percabeth special will be out by Monday. Sorry for the confusion with the updates, I accidentally deleted Chapter 8 which kind of messed everything up. It was only an Author's Note, but I was worried you wouldn't be able to see this story. I went back and fixed everything, so everything is back to normal.**


	12. The Road to Happiness - Part 1

**The Misadventures of Percy and Annabeth - Day 1**

**Annabeth's POV:**

_Last day before Thanksgiving Break!_ I thought happily as I found a seat on a bunch of crowded bleachers.

I was so happy I could stand up and do a little happy dance! Percy said that he had a surprise for me today after the swim meet finished, and judging by his last few charades, I half expected him to tell me that we were going to take a field trip to the moon. Not going to lie, that would be pretty epic, except Artemis might be slightly annoyed with the pair of us.

Why was I, Annabeth Chase, sitting in an arena full of people? To watch my boyfriend win sections for us, of course. Goode had gone undefeated at every swim meet so far this year due to Percy's outstanding leadership. Of course, he's too modest to admit it, but his coach has been praising him non-stop, telling him that he could qualify to the Olympics.*

Here they were competing against a 5 other local districts - the top 3 would advance to State for a chance to win the title. Goode was a shoe in to win it all - this year's team was the best New York had ever seen. Nationally, we were ranked 3rd, but that was based off of last years ranking. Top two teams at state advanced to nationals in the Spring and I knew Percy wanted so badly to win.

_Not like he isn't going to... _I thought amusedly.

Being the son of Poseidon had it's perks - Percy had yet to lose a race the entire year, and he had broken a dozen state records already. No one even came close to beating him. Word was scouts from colleges all across the country were interested in him and were here today to watch him perform.

Percy stood at the edge of the pool, dressed in swim trunks, and shaking his arms, bouncing on his feet, getting ready for the meet. His eyebrows were scrunched up in concentration, and his face was hard set. He turned to the bleachers with a frown on his face trying to spot me. When he did, he waved excitedly and flashed me his trademark lopsided smile.

_Oh my gods, he looks so hot right now... _I thought fixating on his muscular and well toned body.

_When did he develop a six pack? Good gods! _I thought hungrily.

I blushed when I saw him looking at me with a confused look on his face. I quickly smiled and waved back eagerly. Percy's fan section started glaring daggers at me.

Oh I should probably explain that. You see, Percy has a fan club, and I dare you to guess who it's leader is. Amy. Of course. Just the thought made me want to roll my eyes. Amy had been the head of his little fan club since his freshman year here at Goode. Every swim meet, she and her stupid friends would make a bunch of signs with glitter and other stuff, show up at a swim meet and "cheer" for him. I use the term cheer loosely. I think that taking your top off while spectating a swim meet doesn't meet the criteria for "cheering". And yes, that actually did happen if you were wondering.

Some of the swim team members joked that the reason Goode won all the time was because the other teams were distracted staring at Percy's fan club. That might be partially true, but Goode still had more talent this year than all the other schools put together.

Anyhow, the meet began and it was obvious that Goode was going to win from the beginning. Our school won every event easily much to the chagrin of the other schools. Percy was last up. He was supposed to swim freestyle. He did that thing again where he concentrated really hard and bounced on the balls of feet. The referee yelled for the swimmers to take positions, get ready, and then go!

The gun shot and Percy sprung into the water. He clearly outpaced the opposition and touched the opposing wall a good 3 seconds before any other swimmer got more than half way across.

The crowd went nuts. Everyone from Goode stood up and began to cheer Percy on. I didn't notice that I was standing cheering with the rest of the crowd until he pushed off the opposite wall.

The announcer was getting frantic, "Folks, Jackson might just break the national record right here!"

The crowd went ballistic. I am pretty sure some of Percy's fan section passed out in excitement.

Percy made it halfway across the pool when a swimmer from an opposing school suddenly swam into his lane and grabbed his foot. The crowd groaned and screamed in protest as the announcer went insane. "Folks, I don't believe what I am seeing! Stewarts from NY Prep has grabbed Jackson's foot! This is one for the history books!" I saw Percy snake his head back in confusion.

No one except for me knew what happened next.

The water around the other swimmer seemed to propel him out of the pool so that he flew a good 7 feet above the water. He fell onto the edge of the pool on the other end, winded.

Percy took off quicker than before and I got worried.

_If he so blatantly uses his powers, the judges might find some way to disqualify him._

"Folks, despite that unusual occurrence, Percy Jackson is still looking to beat the national record. And it looks like.. wait for it.. Oh My Goodness, he's done it! Percy Jackson has beaten the national record by 2.41 seconds. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Percy Jackson!"

You know how I said the crowd went ballistic. Yeah, you're going to have to scratch that: The crowd broke into chaos after Percy touched the other wall and began pulling himself out. His teammates got to him first, all of them leapt onto him at the same, knocking him back into the pool, all of them laughing and cheering at the top of their lungs.

The crowd spilled out onto the area around the pool and formed a mob in front of Percy, congratulating him. He just had a shy smile on his face and waved modestly. His team picked him up and began to parade around the pool as he sat there laughing. Needless to say, I was so proud of him. After his teammates released him, I made my way through the crowd. I was about to go congratulate him myself when Amy got to him first.

"Great race Percy! That was absolutely amazing! You are soo talented! I was wond-" she began when he cut him off.

"Uhh, thanks. Listen I'll talk to you later, there's someone I need to see." he said waving to her absent-mindedly. Amy's face fell and she cried out in frustration.

I threw myself at Percy in front of the entire school and kissed him, my legs wrapped around his waist.

His teammates went crazy, whistling loudly. Amy looked like she was going to strangle a water buffalo.

I broke away from him and beamed at him, "Great job Seaweed Brain! I wonder how that kid flew out of the pool though." I asked playfully.

He got this mischievous light in his eyes and said, "Thanks, and I don't know, it's pretty strange isn't it?" he said with a smirk.

After the crowd died down, Percy ran into the locker to take a shower.

I stood outside of the arena, waiting for him to return.

Amy snuck up on me as I waited patiently.

"Ok Annabeth, let's get something cleared up. Stay the hell away from Percy. I've put up with you for now because you were the new girl, but throwing yourself at him like a slut at a swim meet is not appropriate. If you don't stay away from _my boyfriend_, we're going to have some problems. I promise you, you don't want me on your bad side." she sneered at me and I felt an incredible urge to punch her.

I calmed myself down but when I spoke, I was deathly quiet, shaking in anger. "Percy is not nor will he ever be your boyfriend, he made that quite clear multiple times, but I guess your skull is to thick to penetrate so I'm going to explain this to you in a way you can understand. You mean nothing to him, so stay away from him. Second, never ever call me slut. You're the one that took your top off at the last meet, so you have no right to chastise me. Percy's my boyfriend so I'll kiss him anytime I like, and I don't need your permission! Now I am only going to say this once: stay away from him."

Amy went pale and lifted her hand back to slap me. I raised my eyebrows, daring her to try. But that was when Percy walked out of the locker room, his hair still wet from the showers. He was wearing his favorite sea-grean V-neck and a pair of blue jeans.

"Annabeth, what's going on here?" he asked with concern in his voice. He took his arm and wrapped it around me, pulling me close to him in a protective gesture.

Amy withdrew her hand and ran it through her hair. She would never risk hitting me if Percy was around. She forced a smile.

"We were just having a friendly talk, _girl to girl._" she spat out the last three words venomously.

I glared at her and said, "Yeah, just a friendly chat. Nothing to worry about."

Amy wore a smug smirk and I felt myself get angry.

I pulled Percy down for a long, slow kiss as she watched with her mouth hanging wide open. If Percy was confused or concerned, he didn't let on.

I broke away from him and stared at Amy, daring her to say something. She opened her mouth and closed it again, flustered. She stomped her foot, threw her hands up in exasperation and stalked away. Percy turned to see me wearing a smug smirk. He looked at me nervously.

"What was all that about?" he asked cautiously, as if I was going to detonate.

I suddenly felt very tired and when I pulled Percy in for another kiss, it was more to placate myself and enjoy his company.

We broke away again and Percy looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head in dissent. Percy stared into my eyes for a few seconds and then backed away quietly in understanding.

That's one of the things that I love about him: he never presses me and he gives me space when I need it.

"Well what's this special surprise that you have planned for us?" I asked happily, eager to change the topic.

Percy's face brightened. "Well it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" he said teasingly.

I rolled my eyes in response. _Typical Seaweed Brain._

We walked out of the school and got into Percy's car. We began to drive away and I noticed that Percy wasn't driving back home or any other place that I recognized. We soon crossed the city limits and I sat back puzzled.

_Well I trust Percy. I am sure whatever he has planned will be special. _I sat back, content to trust the boy next to me.

I leaned forward and turned on the radio and "Glad You Came by The Wanted" played and I sat back with a smile.

At the start of the second chorus I started to sing along, directing the lyrics at Percy. He turned to look at me quickly and gave me a quick smile. I continued my sing along until the song was over.

Then "Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5" came on and Percy joined in, raising his eyebrows comically as he sang. I sat back laughing uncontrollably and he joined me half way through the song.

Like this the next hour progressed: with us singing along to a ton of different songs. Sometimes we sang alone, other times we sang together, and sometimes we didn't sing at all, content to listen in silence.

"With Me by Sum 41" began to play and Percy began to sing along, pouring his heart into the song. I sat back in awe as he made the song entirely his own; he sang in perfectly in pitch, his voice dripping with emotion. When the song finished, I gave him a quick half hug and kissed him on the cheek.

Percy turned red and gave me a shy smile. Then he toned down the volume knob and casually asked, "So, what's with you and Nate?"

I frowned, "What do you mean 'what's with us', we're just friends..." I trailed off, confused at the sudden emergence of the topic.

_Percy's never mentioned Nate before. Has he been somehow bothered by this all along? _I thought, pursing my lips. I knew where the direction of this conversation was going.

"Oh, I didn't mean to imply anything. It just seems like he is incredibly friendly with you and not with anyone else..." he ended the sentence quietly.

"So?" I asked becoming defensive, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Well, being a guy, I know that means that he probably has strong feelings for you. A guy doesn't just suddenly open up to a girl like that only wanting to be friends." he said quietly.

"Percy, something awful happened to that boy, and I am trying to help him. He needs me. Have you ever seen him? He looks like he's depressed all the time. And all you can think about is him having ulterior motives?" I shouted.

"No need to get angry Annabeth. I am just concerned. He could be trying to take advantage of you by acting all vulnerable." he said calmly.

"No, no one is that good an actor. Percy, his hurt is real. Trust me I know it." I said firmly.

"Well you thought Luke was alright and look at how he really felt!" he blurted out quickly in desperation.

My eyebrows furrowed. By some unwritten law, Luke was a taboo subject between the pair of us. We knew talking about him would only just bring us pain and misery.

"What do you mean, 'how Luke really felt'?" I said deathly quiet, drawing air quotes.

"Forget I ever said that." he muttered under his breath.

"No, we're having this conversation now. You've always been jealous of Luke. I don't know why you hate him so much. Luke took care of me when I had nothing. While you were sleeping all warm and comfortable with a mother who took care of you, Luke, Thalia, and I lived everyday in mortal danger. He was like a brother to me, and he made me feel safe, happy, and important. I don't understand why you're acting so paranoid!" I snarled.

"I'm not acting paranoid. Luke betrayed you and everyone of his friends to Kronos." he said getting angry as well.

"You're forgetting that it was Luke that saved the world, not you. Luke was the child of prophecy, NOT YOU. Now get the kelp out of your head Seaweed Brain and stop acting like you're so perfect." I roared, shaking with anger.

Percy's gaze hardened and his eyes turned cloudy. I knew I had gone too far, but I was too angry to care.

"Annabeth, Luke would have killed you if I wasn't there. You're ignoring the fact that he only listened to you after he killed Beckendorf, Silena, and the others. That psychopath murdered our friends in cold blood, revived Kronos, and nearly destroyed the world." he said quietly, seething with anger.

"You're just jealous that you couldn't save the world, like you always do. Luke stole your chance to become the big hero and you've been jealous ever since." I blurted out.

Percy swallowed, his eyes filled with hurt.

"You think that I am so petty, to hold a grudge against him because 'I wanted to save the world'?" he said his voice filled with hurt.

"Whatever happened to appreciating my sacrifices? You know what Annabeth, you were right: you always think you're so much better than me just because you're smarter than me. You never listen to me and treat me like trash after all I've done for you." he said quietly.

I went stiff. I realized that Percy was right, but I was too stubborn to admit it. I just turned away and looked out the window.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you. Bring me back home." I said quietly.

"Fine." Percy said equally as quietly.

At the nearest exit, Percy turned us around, drawing us back to the city. He leaned forward and turned up the music to prevent any further discussion. We drove in silence for the next 10 minutes.

"Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade" began to play and I turned the volume up. This was one of my most favorite songs.

I cast a furtive glance at Percy. His face was expressionless, but in his eyes I could see the hurt.

I pursed my lips again.

_I know what I said was wrong and that I went too far, but he instigated it when he started ripping on Nate. Talking about Luke like he was some sort of criminal was the last straw. He has no idea the type of life that Luke had to lead. _I thought bitterly.

At the start of the first chorus, I noticed Percy mouthing the words.

I turned away irately.

Then he began to sing.

"But hold your breath, because tonight will be the night that I fall for you over again...

Don't make me change my mind, or I won't live to see another day.

I swear it's true: because a girl like you is impossible to find,

_You're impossible to find_." he finished quietly.

I turned and noticed that all the anger had disappeared from his voice. He had directed those lyrics at me, picking up on the game we started earlier. My heart fell and I felt guilty for saying all those things to him. Leave it to me to screw with Percy's feelings when he planned some amazing trip for us.

"Percy, listen: I am sorry I said all that, I didn't mean it and I went too far." I said earnestly.

"I am sorry too Annabeth, I shouldn't have said those things about Nate or Luke. I know you're just trying to help Nate, but I just feel a little nervous that you'll leave me for him." he said quietly.

_And there it was: the source of his discomfort._

"Why would you think that?" I asked him softly.

After a short silence, Percy began: "Well because he's so perfect for you. He's smart, mysterious, probably good-looking to a girl. I was afraid you'd notice how similar you were, and how different we were. I don't think I can compete with a guy like that." he finished shaking his head.

"Percy, you don't have any competition anywhere." I said defiantly.

Percy turned to me with a shy smile.

"Additionally, if you think I'll fall for a guy on brains alone, then you've got another thing coming. Nate might be great and all, but he hasn't done half the things you've done. I highly doubt he could kill a minotaur with it's own horn, stand toe-to-toe with a Titan, carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, or save the world every year. When will you see that you are special to me Percy? You're perfect in every way and I can't ask for much more than that." I concluded softly.

"Do you really mean that?" he asked quietly.

I rolled my eyes and snorted, "No I just enjoy giving impassioned five minute tirades on how much I love you, only to not mean a single word. Geez Seaweed Brain..." I said sarcastically.

That scored a trademark Percy Jackson smile for me and my heart did a flip.

"No turn us around and take me where ever you had planned!" I said firmly, crossing my arms over my chest for effect.

Percy smiled and then turned the car around at the nearest exit.

We drove for another 25 minutes and when we got there I let out a gasp.

"Oh Percy, this is perfect!" I squealed in delight.

One word: Montauk.

* * *

**A/N: This is the first part of a three part Percabeth special. Yes you heard that right, I did indeed say three. There are several reasons why, but I highly doubt any of you care, so I'll try to keep this short for once:**

**Ok, so I don't know anything about swimming. I don't know how you can cheat, and I don't know what you call a place that contains a pool used for competitive purposes, hence my usage of the word "arena". I also don't know any events apart from freestyle either or if swim meets have commentators. Forgive me for probably making a horrible mockery of a well renowned sport. **

**I also do not own any of the music mentioned in this chapter so don't any of you tell Sony. Most of the songs mentioned are pop trash but "With Me" and "Fall For You" are genius and definitely worth a listen.**

**I apologize, I am incredibly sleep deprived so most of this A/N is absolutely incoherent/ungrammatical.**

**I also apologize for Annabeth's lewd comments - girls don't hate me for generalizing or being OOC. I usually do a good job.**

**Okay, are you ready for this? 1.2k hits in one day. Best day ever? I agree. **

**Well anyhow, thanks once again. You all went above and beyond the call of duty. You have literally excelled by every metric: you've given me the amount of reviews I've asked for both the specials and the actual plot lines, gave me thoughtful reviews, and attracted a Titanic (see what I did there?) amount of views. Thanks for everything. Hard to believe I only started this on Sunday, haha. As always: FavFolRev (nifty abbreviation huh?). Special shout out to: ReadBetweenTheLies for sending the first ever plot line suggestion, she got a secret reward and a nifty shout out. #ifailatshortauthornotes.**

***Olympics. Olympus. Percy. Get it? No? Well, I thought it was awfully clever. **


	13. The Road to Happiness - Part 2

**The Misadventures of Percy and Annabeth - The Greatest Date Ever**

**Percy's POV:**

Annabeth looked absolutely thrilled when we got out of the car and saw the beach. Montauk was the beach my mother always took me to when I was younger, and it was just about my only tie to my father until I got mixed into this Demigod business. It holds special meaning to me and everytime I see it, the memories come flashing back to me and I feel a strange sense of melancholy. I feel happy because of the times that my mother and I shared here and how despite our difficult circumstances, whenever we came here, our worries just disappeared and washed away. On the other hand, we came here when life became too difficult for us, so I have memories of all the things we escaped from as well. In a way the tides represent a cleansing of our circumstances or "sand", everytime a tide came in, we felt refreshed and better able to face the world.

I was glad to see Annabeth so happy. I was afraid that the car ride would ruin this experience and that I wouldn't be able to share it with her. I am glad that we came to a resolution however. Nate's increasingly "friendly" relations with Annabeth were worrying me anyways. I told her how I felt about it and regardless of her consolation, I still felt uneasy. Being a guy I know when one of us is making a move on a girl. On the other hand I trust Annabeth and I do believe that she's alleviating whatever misery Nate's feeling.

_Well enough of that, I am here to enjoy this weekend with Annabeth_. I thought to myself, placatingly.

"This is my most treasured child hood sanctuary, and I am so glad that you could be apart of it." I whispered softly to her.

She turned to me, her stormy gray eyes glistening in the sunlight. My heart did a little flip - her eyes were mystifying, they bewitched me, putting me under a spell. I could spend hours just gazing into them, trying to decipher the secrets that they held.

"I am glad you brought me here Percy, it's perfect." she whispered.

I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her shoulder and kissed her forehead lightly.

"Come on, let's get our stuff inside the cabin. I rented us our own cabin, it'll be great!" I said brightly.

"One problem Percy: I don't have anything packed with me." she said with a worried expression on her face.

I rolled my eyes, a bad habit that I had learned from her. "I may be a Seaweed Brain, but I am not that bad." I said with a scowl.

"I packed a bunch of your clothes, your swimsuit, towels, and general toiletries." I said.

"Oh my gods, you really did all that for me?" she asked in surprise.

"Well no duh! If I am spending a weekend with the most perfect girl ever, everything has to be perfect." I said with a smile.

Annabeth blushed slightly and gave me a playful push.

It was around 7 o'clock when we had arrived to Montauk, but it was still slightly bright outside. The sun had begun to set and the landscape was painted a beautiful copper color that was reflected ethereally on the waves. Despite it being the end of November, the lake effect made the weather around Montauk quite pleasant - swimsuits were definitely an option. Though I suspect, with the ordeals we had been through today, Annabeth would probably just want to watch a movie and go to sleep. That was probably the best thing to do today anyways. Tomorrow was when the fun would begin.

The cabin was a cozy 2 bedroom, 1 bath space that was perfect for us. There was a medium sized living room and a small kitchen, complete with a fridge, microwave, sink, and dishwasher. Once Annabeth and I unpacked, we changed into more comfortable clothes. I pulled my favorite sea green V-Neck off, and slipped on a comfortable white undershirt. I swapped my pants for some pajama's as well.

I padded over to the window and stared outside, reveling in the beauty that surrounded our little cottage. The waves were calm, as though Poseidon was trying extra hard to make this date special. I sighed, it had been a long time since I've seen dad. Ever since the Titan War, he never made an attempt to establish contact with me which made me sad. I thought after our victory, that he would make a more conscious effort to bond with me, or at least try to talk or visit once in a while.

Annabeth walked in so quietly that I didn't notice her sneaking up on me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and then leaned her head onto my back. I turned my head, with a slight smile on my face.

The setting sun reflected off of her golden locks and made them shine softly, creating a variety of golden hues. It was slightly disheveled, but I secretly thought it made her look even more beautiful. She was dressed in a pair of sweat pants and her Camp Half-Blood T-shirt. Since there weren't mortals around, she could afford to wear it and seeing her in it brought back memories. Looking at her clothes it was nice knowing that girls didn't dress perfectly all the time and sometimes they were like us boys, opting for comfort as opposed to fashion.

_This is how a girl should be - no makeup and fluff. Just natural. It makes them so much more beautiful. _I thought to myself.

"Hey Seaweed Brain, watchya doing?" she said in a sing-song voice.

I ruffled her hair with my hand affectionately. "Nothing, just admiring the view." I said softly.

Annabeth got up off my back and joined me, resting her head on her palms.

"It's gorgeous outside." she said quietly. I took one of her hands and wrapped mine gently around it, and for a while we just stood like that. It was nice to just have a moment of silence with a more gentle sense of companionship. Being all romantic and lovey-dovey all the time was tiring, so acting like friends was a refreshing experience for the both of us.

Later we went into the living room and ate dinner while watching a movie, wrapped in a blanket on the sofa. We huddled together for warmth and once the movie was over, Annabeth went to her room and decided to fall asleep. I went to my own room and laid on my bed for an hour deep in thought. Once I was confident Annabeth was asleep, I quietly padded out of my room and went outside.

I walked over to the ocean, and sat down on the sand next to a weary looking middle-aged man. He was dressed in a long sleeve, pale blue Oxford shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. He held a gigantic fishing rod in his hands, but controlled it with relative ease.

"Hey dad." I said.

Poseidon turned to me with his warm, crinkled smile on his face. I felt my insides blossom with warmth. I fell into his arms and gave him a tight hug.

"I've missed you Percy. It's been too long." he said with a smile on his face.

We sat and talked for hours on the limitless expanse of sand. I asked him about the state of affairs in Olympus and his own kingdom. He told me things were going fine, but it was a long and difficult process that couldn't be rushed.

"The gods have grown complacent, living in comfort. This last war took a larger toll on us than we imagined. A full scale assault by the Titans and Minor Gods and Goddesses was something we were entirely unprepared for, but something we should have anticipated."

From what he said, the situation surrounding the recovery of the gods looked grim and through these trying times, Hestia became the corner stone for a new, changed Olympus. Apparently, even the gods needed to be comforted and Hestia was the rock for the Olympians themselves.

I smiled. I was glad Hestia finally got recognized and was acknowledged for her important role. She was the glue of Olympus itself.

Then he asked me about my own endeavors at school and in other aspects of life. He asked about Annabeth to see if she was doing alright. Then he told me that he was proud of me for the events that occurred at the swim meet today. But he was most interested in how mom was doing. He didn't seem at all fazed when I told him that Paul had been making her happy and that she generally satisfied with him.

After we finished, he embraced me again and then walked over to the sea and disappeared, walking out of my life once again. I dove into the sea shortly after. I had to make sure that my plans for tomorrow were ready...

**Annabeth's POV:**

I woke up early like I always do and walked over to Percy's room. Obviously he was still asleep. His hair was even messier than it usually was. I walked next to his bed and curled in. I was content to fall asleep again, near Percy.

When I awoke again, I noticed Percy was missing. I opened my eyes drowsily and walked into the living room in search of him. I heard a sizzling noise in the kitchen and I saw him flipping pancakes in his pajama's.

"Pancakes? I didn't know you knew how to cook." I said with a look of amused puzzlement.

"Ms. Chase, I am a man of many talents and surprises." he said, pretending to be offended.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. After I brushed my teeth, I walked back into the kitchen and sat down as Percy pulled out two plates and put the pancakes on them.

As we ate, I looked up at him and he wore a secret, knowing smile on his face. I frowned, not accustomed to being kept in the dark. I ignored him, and focused on eating my pancakes.

"What's the plan for today Seaweed Brain." I asked inquisitively.

"I am glad you asked Wise Girl. First I thought that we could rent some bikes, then go swimming at the beach, and then maybe go for a walk or something once we're done. They have some really nice paths here that I think you'll like. That should pretty much take the entire day I guess." he finished.

"I'm impressed Seaweed Brain. You have actually managed to formulate a good plan all by yourself." I said teasing him.

He just smiled and inhaled the rest of his pancakes. Sometimes I wonder where all that food goes - his stomach must be deeper than Tarturus to contain all of that. Once we finished, we drove to a nearby Bike Rental shop and procured two bikes. We biked around slowly, weaving around the numerous paths that Montauk held. We didn't go too fast, because we wanted to relax, but by the time we were done, our legs were pretty sore and a swim was sounding really nice. The noonday sun wasn't helping us any either.

Once we finished, we went back to the cottage and changed into our swim suits. I chose a silver two-peice and changed into it quickly, eager to get into the water.

I walked back into the kitchen where Percy was helping himself to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Hey Annabeth, have you seen the peanut butter? I could have sworn it was over on the count- oh my gods." he said turning around. His jaw dropped and I felt myself turning red.

"Annabeth, you, you l-look am-amazing." he stammered, turning red as well.

"Percy stop gawking at me, it's embarrassing." I stammered as well.

He recovered and did his best to keep his face straight, but his lips were permanently pulled back into a smile, which betrayed how he really felt. Percy and I ate our sandwiches and I couldn't help staring at him. When we met four years ago, he was just another scrawny pre-pubescent teenager but after all these years training and fighting monsters, he developed some serious muscle. His arms were well toned but not ripped to point of repulsion. His abdomen was flat and well chiseled, giving him a regal appearance.

Percy must have noticed me because he asked teasingly, "Like what you see?"

I flushed, "No, I'm just thinking of how much of a loser you were back when you were younger." I stammered trying desperately to find defense.

He raised his eyebrows in mock astonishment. Then he rolled his eyes, "Sure, I am sure that's definitely what you were thinking about." he snorted.

"Percy, I was not ogling you. Now let me finish my sandwich in peace." I said flustered.

Percy gave me a lazy grin and pushed himself off the table, so that all the muscles in his arm rippled. I unconsciously opened my mouth and gawked. Percy picked up on this immediately and burst out laughing. I hid my face in embarrassment. He padded over to me and gently kissed my hair.

"It's alright Annabeth. I know you can't help staring at my gorgeous body." he said teasingly.

I looked up and glared at him. Then he suddenly struck a provocative pose and I couldn't help laughing either.

"Come on, I've got something special planned." he said taking my hand.

I followed him outside and he led me straight to the water. We submerged ourselves completely underwater and he formed a bubble of air around my head so that I could breathe and see clearly. I gasped.

It was beautiful. There were schools of brightly colored fish swimming around and the sea teemed with life. Then I felt Percy take my hand and he swam, purposefully to some unknown destination. I stared in amazement as I saw a vibrant coral reef teeming with all manners of life. There were crabs scuttling around, fish swimming, kelp waving, and to my amazement dolphins. I knew that this was geographically impossible so this must have been Percy's doing.

I turned to face him. "This is amazing! Did you do all this?" I asked him in amazement.

He turned with a sheepish grin on his face and nodded in ascent. "It's pretty amazing isn't it?" he asked brightly.

"I'll say. It's so beautiful, I don't think you could ever find an equivalent to this on land. Now I understand why you love the sea so much." I said appreciatively.

"Well I am glad you like it." he said with a chuckle.

He took my hand again and guided me throughout the reef, telling me about all the different creatures living there. I listened content to have Percy teach me for once. It was nice to kick back and let Percy handle everything. Being a child of Athena, my mind is always on overdrive and my own personal sense of responsibility makes it difficult to relax. Having Percy in charge of our events let my mind rest and power down for a while.

We swam around some more and then he started to talk to the dolphins, emulating their unusual echo language.

He turned to me with a huge smile on his face. "The dolphins have agreed to let us ride them."

I opened my mouth in amazement and my face broke out into a huge grin.

Riding a dolphin is probably the most fun anyone can ever have: It's like being on a roller coaster, except a hundred times more exhilirating. The dolphins jump in and out of the water with dazzling speed, and the spray of the water on your face is insanely refreshing. I held on to my dolphin for dear life, laughing like a kid in a candy store. We must have done this for about an hour before the dolphins started to tire out. Percy thanked them and then they swam on their way.

When we walked out I flashed Percy a huge smile.

"Not going to lie, that was probably the most fun I have ever had in my whole life." I said with a huge grin on my face.

Percy had a similar grin on his face. "Yeah, I am glad you enjoyed it so much. That was actually my first time doing that as well. It was insane." he said chuckling.

It was late afternoon when we walked into the cabin again. We each took a quick shower, dressed in some comfortable clothes, and then went outside again. Percy selected a medium sized path: long enough for us to enjoy the walk, but not too long to exhaust ourselves after all the other crazy stuff we had done previously. We walked along, surrounded by reddening maple trees. The leaves had changed to the color of fire and the display was absolutely dazzling.

We talked about whatever came to mind, content to have some time to ourselves finally. Sometimes we would just walk in silence, our hands intertwined. I think I relished the opportunity to have Percy all to myself the most. No school, no homework, no monsters, no Amy, and no Sarah to interrupt us. Time flew by and the sky began to darken, so we decided to make our way back to the cottage.

When we got back I went over to the sofa and collapsed on it exhausted as Percy padded stealthily to the kitchen. I ignored him and turned on the TV to watch some Discovery Channel. I watched the TV for about an hour and a half and there was still no sign of Percy. I frowned and craned my head trying to see what he was doing in the kitchen.

I heard him swear loudly and then I walked over to the kitchen in concern.

What I saw made me melt into a little puddle. Percy had been busy laying out a three course meal for the pair of us. There was a nice white table cloth draped over the table, expensive China plates and fancy silverware topped it off, and in the middle was a candle. Percy was over in front of the oven, pulling something out of it.

Percy turned around away from the oven. He was grasping his thumb in pain, which looked slightly burned. I walked over in concern.

"What happened? Did you burn yourself? What is all this? What's going on?" I asked in confusion.

A few years ago, this many questions might have confused him but he was so used to me by now that he answered quickly.

"I burned my finger pulling the lasagna out of the oven, don't worry I'll just run it under some water. This a romantic dinner I had planned for us, a surprise for you. I was going to bring you over and surprise you once I was finished, but you caught me in the act. Good news is, I am done with everything, so I guess we can get started right now if you're hungry." he said sheepishly.

I looked at him in amazement.

_This boy never ceases to amaze me with his thoughtfulness and kind nature. _I thought. A flurry of emotions went through my head, but by far the most obvious one was love.

I threw myself at Percy and kissed him. Percy looked startled at first but then accepted it.

When I broke away I said, "You are by far the greatest boyfriend in the world. Where do you get all these amazing idea's?" I asked him.

Percy just smiled embarrassedly and stared his feet, which were shuffling back and forth on the carpet.

"Ever since we've started going out, the only way I can be happy anymore is when you are happy. So I just get these idea's that I think will make you laugh or happy and then I just do them I guess." he said shyly.

My heart rose to my throat and I let out a strangled moan.

_He loves me so much that his happiness has become entangled in my own? Geez, Annabeth, you really lucked yourself out on this one. _I thought.

I kissed him again sweetly, "Thanks Seaweed Brain, the food looks delicious." I said softly.

He grinned and we sat down and started to eat. Percy had prepared a tomato bisque soup as an appetizer which was served alongside some golden brown breadsticks that look like they had just been pulled out of the oven. The main course was the lasagna which had a ton of vegetables, ricotta, and parmesan, all topped with a home made spicy marinara sauce. For dessert, Percy went crazy and made Baked Alaska, but he used candles as a substitute for the rum induced fire that traditionally coats the top. I wolfed everything down hungrily, exhausted from the events that had occurred earlier in the day. Everything was incredibly delicious, but I absolutely fell in love with the Baked Alaska.

"You know, you should start cooking all of my meals for me." I said genuinely, licking some of the cream from the Baked Alaska off of my fingers.

Percy smiled sheepishly. "I can't make this type of stuff everyday. Today was special." he said with a shy smile.

I smiled at him lovingly and then I ruffled his hair fondly. "I can't thank you enough Seaweed Brain. The meal was fantastic. You're an amazing cook, but an even more amazing boyfriend. I bet no teenage girl has ever had the pleasure of being served a three course home made meal by their incredibly attractive boyfriend." I said happily.

Percy flushed and didn't say anything. I laughed at his discomfort and pulled him in for a kiss. We started off slowly and sweetly, but things began to get heated quickly, so Percy carried me into the living room and dumped me on the sofa. I giggled and dragged him on top of me, kissing him passionately, full of love and longing. We continued to make out for a few minutes breaking off only to obtain a fresh supply of oxygen. As we kissed, I slid my hands under his shirt and circled my fingers around his chest. Percy's hands were placed tightly on my lower back, respecting my space. I was glad Percy never tried to force anything, he always let me do whatever I felt comfortable with. I know most hormonal raging teenage boys would probably try to get into my pants right now, but he left me alone out of respect.

We stopped a few minutes later, breathing heavily. We sat for a while, breathless, staring into each others eyes lovingly. Then all of a sudden Percy started laughing uncontrollably and I did also shortly after. Neither of us knew why, but we couldn't stop. After rolling around on the ground, clutching our stomachs, we sat up and wiped tears out of our eyes. We looked at each other with a smile. Percy quickly padded over to his iHome, which he had brought with him, and turned it on.

Then he came back to me and offered his hand to me, asking to dance. As soon as my hands touched his, he pulled me in close and I let out a squeak.

"Percy, I don't know how to dance at all." I squealed, afraid of embarrassing myself in front of him.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you how." he whispered, his mouth next to my ear. That sent shivers down my spine and I let Percy guide me, his feet moving artfully around the confines of the living room.

Percy wrapped one arm around waist and held my own arm with his other. I put my hand on his lower back, mirroring what I had seen in movies. I giggled nervously as we swayed to the beat of the music.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked softly.

"No, everything's perfect, and that's just it. I half expect something to go wrong right now. I'm not used to things going so well for such a long time, and today has been like a dream, so I'm having trouble believing it's real." I ranted, releasing all of my thoughts.

Percy smirked, "Annabeth you think too much. Nothing's going to go wrong. You're here with me now, and I promise that even if our lives won't ever be perfect. This moment, right here is, so live in it. Let go of your worries for once." he whispered persuasively. I let myself go and surrendered to Percy's calming voice and immersed myself in the moment like he told me.

We danced for hours, but it only felt like a span of a few seconds. The music, the dancing, the atmosphere, the night, all just meshed together creating a layered dream-like state, but at the center of it all was Percy. He grounded me to Earth and kept me going. Every worry or thought had just melted from my brain for the last few hours. Near the end of our dancing, Percy's forehead gently touched my head, his arms wrapped around my waist. I lifted my arms and put them around his neck. Our eyes were half-closed and we drowsily swayed side to side.

"I love you so much Percy. Thanks for everything that you did. This trip was amazing; By far the best vacation I have ever had. Especially tonight - I wish it would never end." I said quietly with a smile on my face.

Percy grinned, "I'm glad you're having a good time, Wise Girl. Today's been too much fun."

I slipped and fell to the floor, giggling airily. Percy picked me up bridal style and we sat on the sofa, my head on his lap. We sat in silence and then we dozed off. Percy fell onto the length of the sofa, and I curled myself on top of him. I looked at him lovingly as he slept.

Here was a boy that spent time planning this trip meticulously, down to every detail. Here was a boy that constantly exposed me to new experiences and was here to share them with me. Here was a boy, so hopelessly in love with me, that my happiness was the only thing that made him feel happy. Here was a boy that would do anything for me, and I felt so blessed to have him in my life. Meeting him was by far the greatest thing that had ever happened to me.

And I realized at that moment, that I would do anything for him as well. We were made for each other - balancing out each other's flaws while simultaneously bringing out the best in each other. I was happy whenever I was around him, and while we did have our differences - the great times we shared together made them appear inconsequential and miniscule. I sighed in content.

But lying there on top of Percy, I felt incredibly guilty.

_Percy did all of this for me without me ever even saying a word. I still haven't done a single thing for him. I swear right now on the River Styx that I am going to give Percy an amazing day tomorrow, one to rival today. _I thought resolutely.

I fell asleep, confident, with a smile on my lips.

**A/N: Ok, I promise this will be short. 4 quick things:**

**1. This chapter is ridiculously long and uber sappy, but I like it a lot. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. It took me like 3 hours to write this, so I hope that it was worth it. It has so much romantic gushiness in it that I am sure even the most romantic of you will want to slap me silly. Anyhow, it was oodles of fun to write, so I hope that comes across when you read it.**

**2. Percy's a fricking paragon and I know that cooking and dancing is stretching it a bit, but Percy represents all the good things in a guy. Every girl out there deserves to be treated like this - so all you guys reading, take tips from this, I'm sure your lady friends will be thrilled. This is a shout-out to all of you wonderful females out there: you are by far the most amazing people I know.**

**3. My extensive knowledge of delicious food comes from my unhealthy obsession with the food network. I love that channel and I love eating. I have an insane metabolism, so I never gain weight regardless of the amount of food I eat. There wasn't any meat in any of dishes because I am vegetarian (sorry :p). I've never had Baked Alaska, I've only seen it on TV - it looks amazing.**

**4. ****I need help with writing Annabeth's part of the story****. I'm serious - I am completely out of ideas. All my romantic juices have been spent on this one story which is probably a bad thing. Anyhow, all you girls out there - If Percy threw you this date, what would be the best date you could throw him? Hit me with ideas. Once I get enough to piece together a story, I will write the next one. Please keep it appropriate.**

**Last note: Special Nate Chapter will be out by next Wednesday, don't know if I said that yet.**

***Oh my god, I found the most amazing song ever for Nate: "Treading Water" by Alex Clare. Regardless of whether or not you like it, at least look at the lyrics. I swear it like describes his life story perfectly. I am so excited that I drew that parallel - guess that's what writing fanfics does to you.**


	14. Author Note - The Elephant in the Room

**Author Note - The Elephant in the Room**

**I know that I am not supposed to make a ton of A/N's but this is important. I need your help. **

**"To Lemon, or not to Lemon. That is the question."**

**Ok, so it's come to my attention that having some lemon sequences in the next chapter might not be a bad idea. However, I want to get everyone's thoughts on this. Therefore, I have established a numerical system:**

**0 = I will report you and/or never read your stories again if you do that.**

**1 = I am uncomfortable with that type of content and would prefer you left that out.**

**2 = I am alright with that, but avoid details please.**

**3 = I am alright with that, some minor details would be acceptable.**

**4 = I am alright with that, and I don't mind - do anything you want to make the experience more unique and realistic.**

**Let me define number 2 more clearly. It will literally not mention anything - just imply it. **

**If you all could send me a review with one of these numbers then I will get a better idea of whether or not I should include. My decision to maybe do this is based on PM's, Reviews, and just the way the plot line has natural built up to this. I thought it was time to address the elephant in the room on this one - I think that at this point of time, such a sequence would be natural and acceptable. **

**Please review, it will take you all like 2 seconds to do so. I am not posting the final part, until I receive enough. Please don't judge me, and I won't judge you all either. I've done my best to ignore this subject for this long, but I feel that I needed to address this issue now, before the series progresses any further.**


	15. The Road to Happiness - Part 3

**A/N: Before you start, I came up with a solution to my little problem. This story does contain lemons, but before you storm away: I have an alternate ending with a more appropriate conclusion for those of you that do not want to read it. I will indicate where the sequence begins at which point you can scroll down and find the bolded words that indicate the beginning of the alternate version. For those of you that wanted lemons, it's not much. It's a mostly a 2 or a 3. Thanks!**

**The Misadventures of Percy and Annabeth - Under the Moonlight**

**Annabeth's POV:**

I woke up early, and this time I didn't feel awkward at all when I saw that I was curled up on top of Percy. Percy slept obliviously, his face was set peacefully, like he was in a place where no one could hurt him. I stealthily got off of him, loathe to wake him up.

_Get ready for the best day of your life Seaweed Brain. _I thought with determination.

I quickly pieced together a plan worthy of Athena. I grinned to myself.

_This is perfect. _I thought to myself happily.

I ran quietly into the kitchen and opened all of the cabinets looking for cooking ingredients. I frowned when I saw that they were all completely bare - not so much as a morsel of bread or a trace of silverware was to be found.

_Where did Percy get all of that stuff then?_

I walked into his room to see if he had anything there. I rummaged through his suitcase and was surprised to see a stack of plates, silver ware, and cooking ingredients safely tucked away inside. He had his clothes in some other suitcase probably. I removed all of the plates and was puzzled to see a photo frame hidden away at the very bottom of the suitcase, turned over so that the picture wasn't visible. I felt an instant temptation to see what it was a photo of. I debated silently, as to whether or not I should look.

Eventually curiosity got the best of me and I turned it over. It was a picture of Percy and Sarah, standing in front of the Statue of Liberty. Percy had his arm wrapped around her shoulder and she had an arm around his waist. I quickly repressed my feelings of rage that rose up, threatening to make me lose control. I saw a sticky note attached to the top corner of the frame. It read:

"I really hope you like this picture Percy! It's from that time we went to Ellis Island over spring break last year! It's one of my most favorite memories, and I wanted you to have a copy of it too! - Love Sarah."

I had to use every fiber in my body to prevent me from hurling the photo at the wall. I put it down the way I found it in his suitcase, my hands trembling in rage. The fact that he had brought a picture of _her _on our trip infuriated me. Even when she wasn't around us, she interfered in our relationship.

_We're definitely having a talk about that when we get back, but for right now I am still going to throw Percy an awesome day. I am sure that he has a reasonable explanation for this, and seeing as it was her handwriting on the post-it note, I am assuming she gave this to him as a gift. _

I stood up and took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Even though Sarah's relationship with Percy distressed me, the two of us had become very close. She was an amazing friend and we were quite similar. One thing we had silently agreed to never discuss was Percy. Doing so would probably ruin all chances of having a civil relationship with each other.

I shook my head to clear myself of all the negative thoughts I was feeling.

_Come on Annabeth! Get your head in the game. You have a few hours before Percy wakes up and you still haven't started any part of your plan. _I thought and organized my thoughts.

I walked back into the kitchen and began to prepare everything. I might not know Montauk as well as Percy did, but I could at least make an effort to make this day special. I looked up at the clock.

6:17.

That gave me about 3-ish hours to get everything ready. I worked diligently for the next few hours, concentrating solely on the task at hand. I constantly consulted my iPhone to make sure that I wasn't doing anything wrong.

_Okay, it says that I need to put it in the oven for a half and hour until the exterior turns into a golden color._ I thought as I squinted at my iPhone.

I heard Percy yawn from the other room.

_Oh gods! I am still not finished with everything! If he sees before I finish then it will completely ruin the surprise. Crap. Come on Annabeth think of something quickly!_ I thought in anticipation.

I got an idea and ran into my room as quickly and quietly as I could.

**Percy's POV:**

I woke up stifling a yawn. I looked up and noticed that Annabeth wasn't there. I shrugged and walked over to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I walked back out go to the kitchen to grab some breakfast, but Annabeth was standing right outside the kitchen in her silver bikini from yesterday.

I felt my jaw drop again. She had her hair let loose, and it tumbled messily around her neck and shoulders. I felt myself turn red and my blood felt like it was on fire.

_She looks ridiculously beautiful in that bikini. _I thought to myself, my mind wandering.

"We're going to the beach Seaweed Brain! I thought you might want to go for an early morning swim." she said brightly.

"Umm, sure. That sounds nice. Can I just grab some breakfast first? I kinda want something to eat before we go." I asked bewildered.

"No!" she shouted nervously. I frowned. Annabeth was definitely acting weird.

"I mean ... If you eat before you swim, you could get cramps." she said quickly, trying to smooth over her initial outburst.

"Annabeth I am a son of Poseidon, I don't get cramps when I swim." I said with a frown.

"Look Seaweed Brain, I want us to go for a swim. So we're going for a swim. You can eat when you get back. Geez, all boys can think about is food." she said irritatedly.

_Something's definitely up with Annabeth. Why isn't she letting my get breakfast, and why is she acting all nervous? She doesn't seem like she would want to go down to the beach first thing in the morning either. There's definitely something wrong here._ I thought worriedly.

"Is something wrong Annabeth?" I asked with concern.

"No there isn't Seaweed Brain. I just want to go for a swim. Is that too much to ask?" she asked exasperatedly.

I wasn't convinced, but I decided to let it slide. I shrugged and walked to my room to change into my swim trunks.

**Annabeth's POV:**

_Phew. That was a close one. Not the most elegant solution ever, but I guess it worked._ I thought myself in relief.

I ran over to the oven quickly. I set the oven to the allotted time at which point it would turn off. The heat inside would be maintained for a while, keeping the food nice and hot, which would be perfect by the time dinner rolled around.

I closed the kitchen door behind me and tip toed into Percy's room. He had finished changing and turned around and saw me.

Despite the fact that this was the third time he had seen me in the swim suit, and his second time today, he still gawked at me as though he was seeing me in it for the first time. I blushed again. I didn't really look that good in this did I? I felt incredibly self-conscious wearing it and I had an irresistible urge to go and change into my pajama's again, but I didn't. Otherwise Percy might pick up on my surprise.

Percy collected himself and walked up to me. He wrapped his arms around me, his hands resting on my lower back. I put my hands on his chest and looked up.

"You know, know matter how many times I see you in that, you never cease to take my breath away." he whispered to me.

I giggled, "You don't look so bad yourself Seaweed Brain. Come on let's go outside." I said dragging him outside.

**Percy's POV:**

I smiled at how eager Annabeth was to take us for a swim. I walked along, letting her drag me to the beach. I thought about yesterday night and smiled at how well everything had gone. I was awfully proud of myself for showing her such a good time. At the same time, I couldn't ignore this small but undeniable feeling of unrest inside me.

No matter how much I did for Annabeth, she never really did anything for me. I mean, don't get me wrong, Annabeth was amazing and everything. I just wish that she would take some initiative for once. I hated myself for thinking like that - it stripped our relationship down to a "you scratch my back, I scratch yours" type of model which I hated.

I shook my head, trying to ward away these negative feelings.

_Being in a relationship means making sacrifices and if I have to make sacrifices to make Annabeth feel happy and special then I will. My reward for my actions is how happy I make her feel and that is enough for me. _I thought, convincing myself.

Annabeth has always been strong willed and independent, and while those are very attractive qualities that most girls don't have, I feel like Annabeth doesn't really need me. I am just kind of there to make her feel good on occasion, but I never really felt like I was necessary to her. Sometimes I just feel like Annabeth doesn't really care about me. I mean Annabeth always said she was lucky and happy to be with me, but she never did anything to prove it to me.

That's why I was so surprised when she confessed her gratitude to me that night, after our date at Central Park. I felt happy just to be acknowledged for all the things that I did. I am not an attention seeker, but it was incredibly rewarding to finally get noticed for doing good things. I had grown so used to doing nice things for Annabeth that I had begun to forget that my actions were really going beyond the well worn path.

"Hey Seaweed Brain, race you to the water." Annabeth called out brightly, snapping me out of my musings.

"You're on." I said with a grin, trying to forget my feelings of being under appreciated.

We ran to the water as fast as we could, but Annabeth beat me of course. She has always been faster than me, but I say it's because she's lighter than me because I am secretly embarrassed that she's quicker than I am.

Annabeth jumped into the water, creating a giant splash. I laughed and joined her, diving cleanly into the water. We swam around in the water for a while and generally just enjoyed ourselves, having good clean fun. It was nice - the water cleansed me of my negative emotions and I felt myself becoming peaceful. After a while, Annabeth called out to me.

"Hey Percy, can we go to a restaurant to grab some breakfast?"

"Sure, let's go shower and change first." I replied.

We walked back into the cottage and I was instantly struck by how good it smelled in there. I sniffed trying to absorb the aroma that have pervaded the entire house. Annabeth walked in and turned pale, but I didn't notice.

"Why does it smell so good in here?" I asked inquisitively.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Seaweed Brain. You must be imagining things." she said weakly.

I snorted. "Come on Annabeth. You'd have to be sensory deprived not to be able to smell how great it is in here."

"I really don't know what you're talking about Percy. Just go take a shower so we can get to the restaurant, I am hungry." she said quietly.

I shrugged and left to the bathroom.

Yup, she was definitely hiding something, but I wasn't going to ask her about it. She seemed super uncomfortable about it and I didn't want to ruin our last day here. We had to drive back to New York tomorrow morning. I climbed into the shower and turned on the hot water.

**Annabeth's POV:**

_Stupid stupid stupid. How could I have been so brainless! Percy smelled everything the second he walked in. I am so glad he didn't press me anymore on it though._

I went to the kitchen and closed the door behind me. I looked for a key and locked the door to prevent Percy from coming in. Then I went to my room, grabbed some of my perfume and began to spritz it in every room to get the smell to dissipate. I propped open all the windows too.

Percy came out of the shower a little later, wearing his towel. I stared him, gawking at how irresistibly attractive he looked after he came straight of the shower. I walked up to him and kissed him. My hands began tracing patterns on his chest as our lips locked.

"What was that for?" he asked jokingly after we broke away.

"Nothing. I just wanted to kiss you right now." I said nonchalantly.

Percy grinned, rolled his eyes, and then walked to his room to go change.

I couldn't help but think about him changing. I instantly stopped myself, feeling extremely embarrassed, awkward, and repulsed, but it was too late. I couldn't control my train of thought. My blood felt like it had caught on fire and I felt my cheeks redden. I slapped myself forcefully.

_Ow! That hurt more than I thought it would..._

It worked nonetheless and I quickly walked into the bathroom to take a shower.

_I hope everything goes well today... _I thought nervously.

**Percy's POV:**

The rest of the day went by quickly. We went to have breakfast at some small diner; the food was subpar but I didn't mind too much. Then we went to walk on another path, but this time we picked a longer one to spend more time together. We didn't have a pressured day like yesterday, so I just relaxed, content to wander around Montauk with Annabeth.

As we walked I noticed Annabeth was deep in thought, and generally just distracted. I did my best to ignore it though. With Annabeth, you just had to wait for her to open up, she would only do so when she was ready, so I learned to just leave her alone until she felt comfortable talking. I couldn't help but think of an oyster protecting its pearl from intruders.

This was probably a defense mechanism for Annabeth since she had had a rough childhood. What with her negligent dad, horrible step-mom, and all those monsters hunting her, I am surprised I have managed to learn this much about her at all. I was lucky to at least have a mother that loved and cared for me, and monsters never bothered me because of Gabe's repulsive odor or whatever. I guess her silence was a way for her to cope with her trauma and gave her power to choose who she entrusted.

I could relate to that, so I didn't press her about anything really.

We walked around in silence for a while and then we talked about random things. We talked about school, Annabeth's designs for Olympus which I didn't understand whatsoever but still listened to politely nonetheless, my hopes for the swim team, and Amy. We both enjoyed having a good laugh about her once in a while. I relayed all of the crazy shenanigans she had pulled on me before Annabeth came to Goode.

"And then, right there in the middle of the cafeteria, everybody hit her with their fruit. It was kind of sad but she kind of deserved it after making Marley Peterson cry." I explained. I was telling her about the Great Lunch Ambush of 2011.

Annabeth roared with laughter and wiped the tears away from her eyes.

"Oh my gods, I can totally picture how pissed she would have been." she giggled.

Annabeth kept walking, but then tripped on a tree root. She fell and cried out in pain.

"Annabeth! Annabeth, are you alright? Is anything broken?" I asked with concern, swooping down to help her up.

"I'm fine, but I think that I might have sprained my ankle." she said wincing in pain.

"Oh my gods, I am so sorry. This was all my fault." I mumbled guiltily.

Annabeth snorted, "Shut up Seaweed Brain, I wasn't looking at where I was walking. It had nothing to do with you."

"Can you walk?" I asked her.

She took a step forward and cried out in pain. She slipped again but this time I caught her.

"I guess that's a no." she giggled in pain. "I think you're going to have to carry me." she said seriously.

Without a second's hesitation, I bent down and she crawled onto my back, and I stood up, giving her a piggy-back ride. I walked us both to the cottage again. I set her down on the sofa and felt exhausted.

"Why don't you take a nap Percy. You look exhausted." she said with concern.

A nap sounded amazing. "You'll be alright Annabeth?" I asked.

She nodded in agreement and I closed my eyes and slipped into a deep, fitful sleep.

I woke up two hours later and looked for Annabeth but she was no where to be seen.

"Annabeth?" I called out in worry.

"I'm in the kitchen!" called her voice, muffled against the walls.

I stood up and walked to kitchen, annoyed. She wasn't supposed to be walking with a sprained ankle.

_If she was hungry she could've just woken me up. _I thought irately, and my feelings of being unnecessary resurfaced again.

I opened the door and stood paralyzed. The lights were dimmed and the table set up nicely, but in a homely fashion that contrasted with the formal, romantic manner it was in yesterday. Annabeth was in a red dress that accentuated her curves, and generally just made her look amazing. On the table were two plates of Macaroni and Cheese and two glasses filled with blue soda.

"Annabeth, what is all this?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Surprise!" Annabeth beamed at me. "I wanted to do something nice for you after all you did for me yesterday. I cooked us some Mac and Cheese and poured us some soda. I know it's not anything compared to what you did, but I can't cook at all so yeah." she said breathlessly.

_So this is what all that shadiness was about! Annabeth wanted to throw me a dinner in appreciation for everything I've been doing. No wonder the house smelled so nice. Gods, sometimes I can be so clueless, I embarrass myself._

"This looks amazing and everything, but you shouldn't have done this when you injured your leg Annabeth. I appreciate the gesture, but I don't want you damaging yourself for me." I replied.

"Percy, I am your girlfriend and if I want to cook you a nice meal to express my love and appreciation for you, then nothing can stop me. Now sit down and eat, you're ruining the atmosphere." she said angrily. She hadn't anticipated my response to reprimand her.

I shook my head. Geez, Annabeth could be really stubborn sometimes.

"Hey, I have an idea: Why don't we eat outside, on the sand?" I asked her.

Her face lit up,"That sounds great!".

And so we moved all of the food and stuff outside and ate in the darkness. The water was black and calmly lapped at the shoreline, providing an elegant backdrop for our dinner. The moon was in a crescent form and shined brightly down on us. The temperature was pleasant - not too cold and not too hot, and some nice ocean breezes blew pleasantly onto the shore.

We ate quietly relishing the view and each other's company.

"So, Macaroni and Cheese huh?" I teased her, causing her to blush.

"Hey, you're lucky I even made you anything. I can't cook like you and I was convinced I was going to set the house on fire. If you don't like it then you can keep your comments to yourself. I tried super hard." she said, feigning anger.

I smirked, "Everything's delicious Annabeth, I am just teasing you. Really, I mean it. Thanks for doing this all, with your leg hurt and everything."

"Don't mention it." she said with a smile.

We looked at each other, content to stare into each other's eyes when suddenly Annabeth threw herself at me. We began kissing each other passionately. Annabeth pushed me onto the ground and sat on top of me, kissing me forcefully. She withdrew and her stormy gray eyes glinted mischievously in the moonlight.

**Okay - here's the part where things get "heated" so if you don't want to read this, skip down to the bolded heading marked "Alternative Ending". Enjoy!**

"Annabeth, what're you doing?" I gulped. Judging by the glint in Annabeth's eyes, I could tell she had something crazy planned.

"Nothing." she said innocently but I didn't buy it for a second.

Before I could protest, she bent down and kissed me again forcefully. My eyes flew open when she jerked up the hem of my shirt.

I pulled away quickly, "What're you doing?" I yelped.

Annabeth looked at me playfully. "Taking your shirt off, what's it look like?" she said with a smirk.

I chuckled nervously, "Yeah, sure... Wait. You're serious?" I asked with a frown.

"Is something wrong Percy?" she asked seriously now.

"It's just that... I don't want to do anything here that you feel forced into doing. Look Annabeth, you're great and this trip, especially tonight went better than I could have imagined. I am incredibly happy, so you don't need to do this to prove anything." I said genuinely.

Annabeth bent down and kissed me sweetly. "If you're not ready Percy, I can understand. But just know, that I am doing this for the both of us. I want it just as much as you do." she whispered into my neck, sending shivers into my spine.

I swallowed loudly. "I won't pretend that I haven't been secretly wishing that this would happen, but I just don't want to rush and ruin everything." I said nervously.

"Percy you think too much. Nothing's going to go wrong. You're here with me now, and I promise that even if our lives won't ever be perfect. This moment, right here is, so live in it." she whispered, echoing my words to her exactly.

I let out a soft chuckle.

_She's right. This feels right and I think that I am ready. If Annabeth is too, then I am not going to stop her. _I thought to myself.

"Fine, I'm ready if you are Anna. Just tell me if you want to stop at anytime." I replied softly.

"Same goes for you Seaweed Brain." she giggled and I rolled my eyes.

She bent down and we kissed passionately again and this time I didn't protest when she took my shirt off. Annabeth tossed it over my head and kissed my jawline and my neck which sent shivers throughout my body. I let out a soft groan and she giggled.

Then we kissed again possessively and passionately. When we broke away we were both gasping for breath.

"Let's get you out of that dress, you gorgeous, amazing, perfect girl." I whispered into her ear and she trembled.

I put my hand behind her back and found the zipper and slowly pulled down, letting her know what I was doing. Annabeth closed her eyes and sharply exhaled, but didn't try to stop me. I peeled the red dress off of her and stared at her in reverence.

She was dressed in a lacy red bra and underwear that matched her dress. I let out a quiet gasp and she opened her eyes and flushed.

"You look so beautiful." I whispered reverently and then I pulled her in for a kiss.

**Annabeth's POV:**

To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I was trembling in fear and anticipation. I wanted to do this so badly, but I was terrified that I would mess everything up. I am a daughter of Athena, not Aphrodite, I don't know how to do this type of stuff. Whenever the other girls at camp talked about this, I always tuned them out. Now I found myself wishing I had paid closer attention, maybe they had tips. I had no idea what I was doing.

After I got out of my dress I felt Percy's eyes on me. He looked at me like I was a goddess, as if he was worshipping me. I felt heady with the power that I had over him when I was like this. He pulled me in for a kiss.

We kissed sweetly at first, but then we got more passionate about it and I pushed him down forcefully. I straddled him and quickly took his pants off. I stared at his boxer's for a while, unsure of what to do.

I looked at Percy and I saw him look just as nervous as I was.

"Annabeth, it's alright we don't need to do this if you don't feel comfortable." he said hoarsely.

I bit my lip. _Great, I have wanted to do this the entire trip, but now that I am finally here, I am not sure I want to go through with it. _I hesitated for a while deep in thought, but then I remembered how Percy went to such great lengths to make sure everything about this trip was perfect.

_I want to do this. This feels right. I love him and he loves me. _I thought resolutely and then I slowly pulled his boxers off and I saw his eyes widen in surprise.

What happened next was a blur - it happened so quickly and everything was so perfect that nothing really stuck in my brain except for how Percy made me feel. I felt like a goddess, but mostly I felt madly, hopelessly in love.

I remember feeling a sharp pain as I lost my virginity. I remember kissing Percy. I remember him taking my bra off. The rest of the details were fuzzy but after we finished, I crawled on top of him, exhausted.

"That was amazing." I giggled airily.

"You were amazing." he said firmly and I blushed.

Percy fiddled with my hair and kissed my forehead gently. I looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I love you." I whispered quietly.

"I love you too." he said equally as softly, his gorgeous sea green eyes shining in the dark.

**(The story is not over - both of the endings meet up near the end, scroll down to read the rest)**

**Alternate Ending:**

"Annabeth, what're you doing?" I gulped. Judging by the glint in Annabeth's eyes, I could tell she had something crazy planned.

"Nothing." she said innocently but I didn't buy it for a second.

Before I could protest, she bent down and kissed me again forcefully. My eyes flew open when she jerked up the hem of my shirt.

I pulled away quickly, "What're you doing?" I yelped.

Annabeth looked at me playfully. "Taking your shirt off, what's it look like?" she said with a smirk.

I chuckled nervously, "Yeah, sure... Wait. You're serious?" I asked with a frown.

"Is something wrong Percy?" she asked seriously now.

"I am not comfortable going there Annabeth. I've had an amazing time today and I can't begin to tell you how happy I am for what you did. I don't want to ruin how perfectly everything has been going by doing something we might both come to regret. I think we are rushing into this and I don't want to do that. If we ever do it, I want everything to be perfect, but most of all I want us both to be ready to be prepared for the consequences. Kids are a serious responsibility and I don't being a Seaweed Brained teenager will make me a good father. But, if you really want to do this, then I will." I rambled.

Annabeth sighed. "I was secretly hoping that you would stop me. I am not ready either, I just want so badly to make you happy. This weekend has been nothing short of magical, and I wanted to make it up to you. You made everything so perfect, and I just made you a plate full of macaroni and cheese. Doesn't seem like a reciprocal gesture does it?" she said sadly.

I sat up and put my hands on her face and gently turned her face towards mine. I looked straight into her stormy gray eyes and said, "Annabeth, I understand that you want to make me happier than you can possibly imagine, but doing something this significant and permanent needs a lot of thought. I promise you, I am happier than you can imagine. The macaroni and cheese shows me that you made a conscious effort to make me happy and that's all I can really ask for." I whispered.

**Here is the point where both stories meet in the middle.**

**Annabeth's POV:**

"You know for the longest time, I secretly thought that you didn't like me." Percy whispered quietly.

I frowned and looked up at him with worry in my eyes.

_What is he talking about? Of course I love him! _I wanted to scream.

Percy continued, "You've always been so strong and independent, so much so that sometimes it feels like you don't really need me." he said softly, but I heard an edge of bitterness in his voice, but it wasn't meant for me, it was directed at himself.

"I used to think it was because I wasn't good enough. I used to think that it was because you were still heartbroken about Luke, and I was just there to make you feel better. Honestly, I never expected you to fall for me. I thought you were after Luke and it broke my heart when he let you down time and time again. That's why I never liked him Annabeth. It's because I loved you and I couldn't bear to see him hurt you over and over again. I never understood why you insisted on going after him, as though he could be cured of his thoughts until that day when we were in the throne room and you convinced him to sacrifice himself. At that moment, I understood why he meant so much to you." he said slowly.

My head was spinning as I tried to process everything he was saying.

"After we started dating, you never really tried to make an effort to do anything for me, and I misunderstood that to be a lack of affection for me. Now I realize it's because you were lost and didn't really know what to do." he said softly.

I turned to him with a hard, blazing look on my face. "Percy, I love you and I am sorry if it ever seemed like I didn't appreciate you. That was my fault. The truth is, your presence was the only thing that kept me going after Luke turned. Despite how much you disliked him, you never tried to stop me from trying to change him and I am so grateful for that. And you're right. Romance isn't a specialty for the children of Athena." I giggled nervously.

"I am just so clueless and I don't know what boyfriends and girlfriends are supposed to do for each other. It's frustrating not knowing what to do, but at the same that's what I love the most about our relationship. I have you here to teach me." I said with a smile on my face and Percy leaned over and kissed me.

We held each other for a little while longer and I began to feel drowsy. I tried to stand up but I collapsed in pain. Percy caught me and scooped me into his arms and carried me back to the cottage.

We changed into our pajama's and went to our respective rooms.

I plunked onto my bed, but I couldn't fall asleep. I tossed and turned restlessly.

Unable to bear being without him any longer, I stood up and gingerly walked over to Percy's room. He was sitting up with his hands clasped together, covering his mouth, giving him a brooding appearance. When he saw me in the doorway he rushed over and picked me up.

"Annabeth what's wrong?" he asked with concern.

"Can't sleep." I mumbled.

"You can stay with me if you want." he said quietly.

I nodded my head in agreement, eager to nestle up against Percy's warmth and to be under his protection. I curled up with him in the bed and pulled the blanket over us. In his arms I felt safe, like no one could hurt me. Percy was wrong - I was just as needy as everybody else, it was just that I had found what I needed and I was lucky enough to see him all the time. I smiled at the thought and entered a long, fitful sleep as Percy held onto me tightly, and I prayed that he would never let go.

**A/N: This chapter was by far the hardest to write - the lemon stuff took a ton of thought and I apologize in advance for whatever flaws there were. I couldn't really write it well, so the alternative ending turned out much better. I advise everyone to read both if they feel comfortable. It was generally kind of awkward to write about and I struggled a lot with it. I hope it didn't turn out too graphic - I redid it like 7 times.**

**I understand the cooking time on the macaroni is unrealistic, but whatever. I also know that I made Percy seem like a witless wonder here, when I have repeatedly said that I hate it when he is portrayed like that, but I couldn't think of a way to advance the plot line appropriately. Sorry!**

**I don't really have anything else to say. I know the date wasn't half as amazing as the one the day before, but that kind of set the bar unreasonably high. Another shout out to ReadBetweenTheLies for sending in the Mac N' Cheese/Ocean Dinner idea. It was pretty much the only romantic thing the entire chapter, so I apologize. Her idea was brilliant though. As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**


	16. Nathaniel, You Dolt!

**Without further ado: Here's the Nate Sawyer special! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!**

**Nathaniel You Dolt!**

**Nate's POV:**

I woke up with a smile on my face. It was only the second week of summer vacation, and I had a lot to look forward to. The sun was up high and the Floridian weather was at it's best - 85 degrees, sunny, not a cloud in the sky.

I sprung out of my bed with enthusiasm and made my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Afterwards, I went downstairs and made myself some cereal. I munched thoughtfully, thinking about my plans for the rest of the day. Today, I was taking Kirsten to a nearby amusement park.

_Kirsten._

Just saying her name in my thoughts brought a smile to my face. Things were going to turn out great: the weather was fine, and we had a ton of time just to ourselves. As I padded over to the fridge to put the milk back, I saw a note attached that I didn't previously notice because I was wrapped up in my thoughts. It was a note from mom, figures:

_Nathaniel, food is in the fridge. I have a meeting today so I won't be back anytime soon. Have fun and stay safe._ - _Mom._

I curled the note into a ball and threw it into the garbage can, disgusted. Calling my mother a workaholic was an understatement - _she lived at the office. _Sometimes, she worked so late that she only came back home to shower and change her clothes. God knows when she slept or ate or did anything normal human beings do.

My mother was a CFO at Canon Ebersol - A major international accounting firm. She had board meetings every other day and she scarcely interacted with me. She was nice and everything, but she treated me like I was one of her clients. There was no love in any of our interactions - she was always polite, always had high expectations, gave me food, water, and a gigantic home to stay in - but that was about where our relationship ended.

Kirsten's parents were like the mother and father I never had. They were nice to me and actually cared about me. I had hung around Kirsten for so long that sometimes I call them mom and dad. Kirsten and I have been best friends since we were 8 years old, but it was only this last year that I had had the courage to ask her out on a proper date. I remember she thought I was joking at first, but then she broke out into a huge smile and punched me on the shoulder. Her parents were ecstatic.

Kirsten lived in a neighborhood 15 minutes away from my house, but her house was a lot smaller. Her parent's were nowhere as rich as we were, but that never bothered me. I loved their house more than I loved my own, and if I could, I would give them all our money so that they could live in a bigger house.

After I took a shower and changed into a white shirt and jeans, I jumped into my Mercedes and arrived at their house relatively quickly. I parked by the driveway and strolled over to their house.

"Byah! We got you Nathan!" Tommy shrieked, trying to hit me with a water balloon from his upstairs window.

I jumped out of the way and flashed him a smile.

"Nice to see you Tommy! If you're up there, then where's your brother?" I called to him.

Tommy stick his tongue out at me. "Not telling".

I heard the bushes behind me rustle and I spun out of the way as Jimmy threw his water balloon at me and groaned.

"I missed again! I missed Tommy!" whined Jimmy.

"Aww, come on Jimmy, he's right there!" cried Tommy.

I laughed and ruffled Jimmy's brown hair fondly. "Better luck next time squirt."

Jimmy pouted and I laughed again at his disappointed expression.

Jimmy and Tommy were Kirsten's two younger, identical twin brothers. They were in the 4th grade but ever since 2nd grade, we've had this long running routine where they try to pull a prank on me and fail epically. They were like my own little brothers and I loved them to death.

"Here I'll give you a ride inside." I offered.

Jimmy's crestfallen expression morphed into a happy grin as he jumped onto my back.

We walked into the front door. "Mom, big brother's home!" called out Jimmy from my back.

Mrs. Richards walked out of the kitchen and broke into a huge smile.

"Nathan, what a wonderful surprise. Kirsten's upstairs. When will you both be back?" She asked.

"We're thinking by 8:30. We'll leave the park at 7, grab a bite to eat, and come back." I said.

"Okay, sounds good." she said and left to go back to the kitchen to continue making lunch.

"Hey Witch! Your boy-mphgop" Jimmy screamed, but I covered his mouth quickly with my hand.

"Shh, I want it to be a surprise!" I said quietly to him.

Jimmy looked at me and gave me a devilish smile. He nodded in agreement. You see, Kirsten gets spooked easily. When she does, she does this adorable thing where her eyes turn to the size of saucers and she cups her mouth with her hands. Kirsten's not a screamer, but ever since we were little kids, I found this behavior a hilarious substitute for that. I quietly tip toed up the stairs and stood silently in front of her room.

Tommy appeared from his room and threw me his Jason mask that he wore for Halloween last year. I flashed him a smile and put it on.

I silently opened the door and Kirsten was on her laptop facing the window, chatting away on her phone.

"I can't Stacey, Nathaniel's coming over today and we're going to the amusement park!" she said brightly. I silently padded over to her seat and gently tapped her shoulder.

Kirsten did her signature "Holy Crap I'm Scared" reaction and then turned around to see me in the Jason mask. Her eyes got so big I thought they were going to explode. I took off the mask and roared with laughter.

"Nathaniel! Oh my god, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" she yelled, half laughing.

"I'm sorry, it was too easy to pass up." I said laughing uncontrollably.

Kirsten stood up and punched me on the shoulder. She does that whenever she gets exasperated with me, which is always. She was fighting to keep a straight face.

Once I calmed down, I took some time to study her.

"You look great, as usual." I said brightly, with a smile on my face.

"Nathaniel, get out of my room. I'm in pajamas and I'm not even dressed. You're the worst boyfriend ever. Don't sneak up on me like that." she said chastising me.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I just couldn't help it." I said.

She rolled her eyes and sent me down stairs. I sat patiently on the sofa as I waited for her to come down.

I looked around. The living room was filled with pictures of different members of the family. I was in nearly everyone of them. There was me at Kirsten's ballet recital when she was 12. Me wearing a devilish smile on my face as I stood next to a furious, drenched Kirsten, after I had pushed her into the neighborhood pool when we were 10. Kirsten smiling with me at my violin recital when we were 14. The pictures went on and on. I smiled to myself as those memories came pouring back.

Kirsten came down 20 minutes later.

I held my breath.

_She looks gorgeous. _I thought.

Even when Kirsten wears normal clothes like the rest of us, she manages to look like a goddess. Kirsten was wearing a simple white shirt and a pair of black gym shorts, her beautiful golden blond hair tied back in a ponytail. Kirsten's defining feature however were her icy, pale blue eyes. They turned anyone they looked at into mush. The boys in school went crazy if she looked at them, which I always found hilarious.

Kirsten's a complete tomboy. With the exception of dance, she's captain of the girl's cross country team and co-captain of the volleyball team. If you got in a fight with her, odds are the fight would be over if she kicked you once. Trust me, I know. She also plays piano amazingly and has a beautiful singing voice. Sometimes, the two of us would just play music together. Either doing duet's with violin and piano, or we would both sing together. We had a long standing tradition of holding Saturday sing alongs. I would bring my acoustic guitar over and we would just play music and have a good time. It was always fun and regardless of our commitments, we always found a way to fit it in our schedules.

"Are you going to keep staring at me like that or are we going to go?" she said impatiently, her icy blue eyes reprimanding me for keeping her waiting.

"Yeah, let's go." I said with a smile.

We got to the amusement park 45 minutes later. We hopped out and Kirsten dragged me to the front entrance, making me run. Kirsten is actually the most impatient person ever. She might take a million years to do something, but if you are seconds late then she gets really annoyed. It's a good thing I am her boyfriend - I am the only person that can calm her down. She tells me that listening to my voice is like magic, which always makes me blush. Ever since we were young, I could get Kirsten to calm down or do stupid stuff if I talked to her. I would get her into the worst sort of trouble, but I was always there to get her out of it.

"Kirsten, slow down. Geez, we have the whole day to ourselves. Take your time." I said to her.

She immediately slowed down and looked at me. "I hate your voice. It's so soothing and persuasive, I can't ever stop myself from listening to you." she said irately.

That just made me smile and her annoyed look vanished and was replaced by a smile of her own. Oh yeah, Kirsten also claims my smile has magical powers too because it always make her happy. That also makes me blush. According to Kirsten, if I do this thing with my eyes (she calls it my "puppy dog eyes") then she goes crazy and I can get her to do literally anything. Needless to say, Kirsten hates the amount of control I have over her.

She pouted and I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. We walked into the amusement park and began going on all of the rides. We went on a roller coaster right off the bat because Kirsten adores them. She never screams on them which is a relief, she just laughs.

Kirsten's laugh is crazy. If you heard her laugh in a room full of people talking loudly, you could identify her easily. Her laugh had this melodically ringing quality to it, so it sounds like a song. It's the most wonderful laugh in the world, which is why it also drives the boys in our school crazy.

After we finished riding the roller coaster, we went to the booth where they display the pictures afterward. I spotted ours quickly and resisted the temptation to face palm. Kirsten wore an incredibly dopey smile on her face and I had a straight face to the point where I looked bored. We were polar opposites, Kirsten and I. That's what made us such good friends. She's really mercurial and unpredictable, whereas I am really grounded and calm.

We spent the next few hours going on rides. They all went the same way: Kirsten laughs, all the boys on the ride suddenly turn to mush, we get off the ride, they follow her, I give them a glare that scares them away, we get to the picture booth, and I face palm. This cycle repeated on every single ride, the only variable changing was the amount of boys following us. Kirsten is completely oblivious to the fact that she has this power over boys. She tells me that she doesn't have time for them or that we're too slow to keep up with her, but she says I am special when I ask her about myself.

We stopped to have lunch a short while later. Kirsten happily snacked on her slice of pizza and I kind of stabbed my salad in repugnance. I am vegetarian, but I detest salad. But that said, it was better than going hungry. Kirsten smiled when she saw the look of disgust on my face.

"You know, it would taste a lot better if you put dressing on it." she said with a smile.

"That would eliminate all of the healthy benefits, though." I said with a frown and she cracked up.

I have super strict dietary habits. I am vegetarian, border-line vegan, and I always eat my food with as little additives as possible. Sometimes that includes seasoning. To say that it is bland would be an understatement. Still I eat like this to remind myself not get accustomed to comfort. Being rich disgusts me, so I always try to live as modestly as I can. The Mercedes was a present from my mother and she threatened to make me stop visiting Kirsten unless I drove it.

"The Sawyer's have a certain level of sophistication that we must adhere to." she would say if she were here.

Kirsten finished her pizza quickly and dragged me away from my half eaten salad to go to another ride.

I sighed, but followed her anyways. Then the cycle continued anew as we went on more rides. By the time we got off the last ride, we had a total of 35 boys following us.

Kirsten leaned in to me and whispered, "I think they're following us." she said with a nod.

I raised my eyebrows sarcastically, "Wow! Really Kirsten? Are you sure?" I said sardonically.

Kirsten shook her head earnestly and I had to resist the temptation to laugh. Sarcasm was a lost art to her and she never understood its purpose. Kirsten's smart, ridiculously so, but she just didn't understand the utility of sarcasm, which I reveled in.

"Kirsten, they've been following us since we got here." I said with a smile and she looked crestfallen.

"Hey, why are you hanging out with that loser, baby? Why don't you come hang with us?" called out a goon from Kirsten's fan club.

I clenched my fists itching to punch him, my pupils dilating like they always do when I get angry.

_No one calls Kirsten "baby". _

Kirsten gently placed her arm on mine and I calmed down.

"As tempting as that sounds, I can't. This is my dying brother. I can't just abandon him, but I really wish I could." Kirsten called out with a smile.

_Dying?!_ I was going to kill Kirsten later, but this was fairly typical for the pair of us.

The boys all looked at me in a new light. As soon as they realized that I wasn't competition they backed away.

"You two don't even look related." called one of the boys.

"That's because all of his beautiful blond hair fell out after he was diagnosed with a rare disease. It's highly contagious if you're not vaccinated. I am safe because I am, but hanging out with me could kill you in 24 hours. The disease is airborne." she said convincingly.

The boys turned and backed away, muttering to themselves.

"You are quite the little actress aren't you? Good thing they were each as smart as a potato." I said glaring at her in fury.

"Lighten up! I was only teasing you. Besides, my method's may be crude but they are effective." she said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes in response.

Kirsten quickly ran behind me and jumped on my back.

"Onward, Thomson!" she said loudly.

I cringed. Thomson was her imaginary "horse" from back when we were 8. I had offered to give her a piggy back ride, calling it a horsey ride when I realized that she was obsessed with horses. Ever since then, she's hopped on my back and yelled that phrase whenever she grew tired of walking, which was often.

I groaned, but walked to the parking lot nonetheless.

Kirsten beamed down at all of the people giving us strange looks. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked incredibly proud of herself. Oh yes, Kirsten was a joker indeed.

When we got to the car she hopped off, and we drove to a nearby Chipotle.

As we ate, Kirsten kicked her legs back and forth like a toddler and inhaled her burrito. She ate so much I wonder how she stayed so slender.

I bent down to take a bite out of my burrito when Kirsten thoughtfully said, "You know, you still haven't kissed me yet." I coughed and pounded my chest with my hands. I looked at her, my eyes watering.

"Where did that come from?" I asked her gasping for air.

"Just wondering out loud." she said innocently and then proceeded to sip on her soda.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" I asked her warily.

Kirsten blushed. "I-I didn't mean it like that." she stammered.

I laughed at her discomfort and resumed eating my burrito. Kirsten ran to the trash can and threw her food away, ran back, and collapsed on my lap.

I refrained from laughing. "What're you doing?" I asked with a smile.

"I can't move anymore. You're going to have to carry me, Nathaniel." she said in mock exhaustion. I know for a fact that it is biologically impossible for Kirsten to be tired.

I put a finger on my chin and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Alright, I understand." said sincerely.

"Good! Now take me to my carriage, Thomson." she said demandingly.

Before she could protest, I picked her up and slung her across my shoulder.*

"Hey! Put me down!" she called from behind me, her fists pounding against my back.

"I'm sorry I don't understand human-speak, I am just a lowly horse." I called back to her with a grin.

"Then how are you talking to me right now!" she screamed.

I quickly trotted over to the trash can and threw away my garbage, and then proceeded to take a very unamused Kirsten out of the Chipotle.

I dropped her into her car seat.

She gave me a death glare and I smiled in response.

"Your carriage awaits your majesty!" I said to her with a grin and she rolled her eyes.

I put the car in reverse and chuckled. We drove back to Kirsten's house by 8:20. We had 10 minutes before Kirsten had to be back home, so we wandered around her neighborhood, our hands intertwined.

We used to do this when we were younger, but being in an actual relationship now, I felt differently when I held her hand. Now butterfly's float around in my stomach, desperate to escape and I felt my throat go dry. Kirsten seemed unfazed hiwever, which only made me seem like an idiot.

Kirsten looked at me with a smirk on her face, "The all-mighty Nathaniel Sawyer is actually nervous. Unbelievable." she said mockingly.

"I can't help it. You make me nervous." I stammered, my face began to turn red.

Kirsten laughed and I allowed myself a weak smile. We walked to the neighborhood park and sat down on the bench. Kirsten leaned forward, her hands pressed against her thighs, like she was about to take off.

I smiled at her fondly.

Kirsten had a boundless energy and being with her was always interesting. I've known for her for 8 years, and I still don't know what she's going to do.

We sat and talked for a little while, making idle chit-chat, trying to pass the time.

I looked at my watch.

8:28.

"We should start heading home." I said to her.

She pouted, "I don't want to!"

"I promised your parents you would be home by 8:30 and you know I never break my promises." I told her with a smile.

She just rolled her eyes, stood up quickly, and dragged me back to her house.

As we stood on her door step, I looked at her awkwardly, unsure of what I was supposed to do.

Her comment from back at Chipotle kept popping into my head.

_You know, you still haven't kissed me yet..._

I felt my cheeks redden again.

_Gosh, I've never kissed a girl. What am I supposed to do? Would it be awkward if I kissed her right now? Would she slap me? Yeah she probably would. Alright it's settled. No kissing._

"Well?" said Kirsten impatiently.

I looked up at her, my face the color of a tomato.

"Well what?" I asked her sheepishly.

"What're you still doing here? Go on home!" she said irately.

I was shocked.

"Umm, yeah. I guess I will." I said and I turned to leave.

I heard her groan behind me.

"Boys!" she said in exasperation.

I spun around with a confused look on my face.

"What?" I asked.

"Despite having an IQ of like 200, you don't know how to take a hint do you?" she said in frustration.

I felt my blush returning.

"So you do want me to kiss you? Now I'm confused. First you said you didn't and now you're saying you do..." I trailed off, quailing under her glare.

"You better thank god that I am your girlfriend. You're completely hopeless. I obviously wasn't going to tell you to kiss me, but I implied it by wondering aloud about it." she said in exasperation.

"That's your fault! You're so confusing. Why can't girls just ask for what they want? I am not a psychic, I didn't know that you were secretly hoping I would kiss you." I stammered.

"Nathaniel. Shut up and kiss me." she said slowly but demandingly, her arms crossed across her chest.

"I'm not sure I want to anymore." I said, taking a cautious step backward.

"Nathaniel, you dolt! Get back here and kiss me NOW!" she screamed.

I took a deep breath and ran up to her, my blood boiling underneath my skin. I quickly kissed her on the cheek and withdrew in embarrassment.

"You missed." she said flatly.

"What?" I said in bewilderment.

"You missed you dolt. You really are hopeless." she said, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I did what you ask-mphf" I said as she kissed me mid-sentence, her hands holding my face.

My eyes flew open in surprise, but then I closed them and engaged in the kiss. We kissed for a total of 3 seconds, but it felt like eons. All I could think about was how soft her lips were.

She withdrew and swiped her thumb across her lips looking extremely proud of herself.

"And that's how it's done." she said triumphantly.

I heard applause from behind the door and I buried my face in my hands in embarrassment. Kirsten's entire family had been eavesdropping on our conversation from behind the door.

"MOM! DAD! GO AWAY!" Kirsten roared.

I heard her parents take off, but I could hear Tommy and Jimmy laughing, "We finally got him!". "Nathan and Kirsten sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" they sang in chorus.

My face turned a thousand degrees and Kirsten looked absolutely dumbfounded.

"Umm, I guess I'll see you later then Kirsten." I mumbled quietly in embarrassment.

I ducked as she threw her shoe at me in frustration.

I ran back to my car as though my life depended on it. In a way it did.

_Boy is she going to be pissed at me tomorrow_. I thought before I drove out of her driveway.

**A/N: ****I hope you all enjoyed the story of Nate's first kiss. I went for humor as opposed to romance with this one and I think that was a welcome change. This is a story I think almost anyone can relate to, unlike Percy's kisses. Kirsten was a lot of fun to write about and it was nice to write about a happy Nate for once.**

**I hope this gave you insight into how he used to be back in Florida. ****I hope it brings his depression into perspective for you all: She was his best friend for 8 years before she became his girlfriend. She died tragically, and so suddenly. I think an issue with death in stories is that often times we don't know about the history two people had. The part about the photo's made me feel extremely sad when I wrote it. Kirsten is such a bubbly, spritely character, it seems impossible for her to die - she's so full of life and energy. **

**Anyhow, I hope you can at least understand why Nate is so tormented now by her death. As always, I hope you enjoyed the story and Follow, Favorite, and Review! **

**PS: The actual plot line will continue shortly, so I hope you all are looking forward to that!**

***I know that the way Nate picked Kirsten up was the same way Percy did in "Special Delivery", but there are only so many ways a girl can be picked up. Forgive me being repetitive. **


	17. The Prince and the Pauper

**The Prince and the Pauper**

**Sarah's POV:**

I plunked myself down on my ratty, old mattress and stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. I am so glad that school will start up again tomorrow for two reasons:

1. I would get to see Percy again!

2. The Winter Dance would happen soon!

Our school had two major dances, excluding homecoming. They were the Winter Dance and the Spring Dance in December and May respectively. The Spring Dance was kind of like an end of the year dance, and was placed after the AP tests so it was a nice way to kick back. For the Winter Dance, the boys asked the girls out, but for the Spring Dance, the girls asked the boys. It was a tradition unique to Goode, and I would have asked Percy last year if he hadn't suddenly disappeared.

Before the year started, I was absolutely certain that Percy was going to ask me to the Winter Dance, but now that Annabeth goes to school here, that's pretty much not going to happen.

I sighed heavily.

Not going to the dance with Percy was going to be a major bummer, but maybe some other nice boy would ask me. Even if it wasn't Percy, getting asked to the dance by someone else would be just as nice.

Maybe Nate would be interested in going with me. We've actually become good friends after meeting each other through Percy and Annabeth. He was really nice, but he seemed super sad all the time. A ton of girls in school liked him just because he was sad and mysterious, but that was kind of a turn off for me. One of the things I like the most about Percy is his ever positive attitude. I am already kind of a downer, so being with Nate would probably depress us even further.

The other girls think that they can "help" Nate get out of depression, and if they could he would love them forever or something. Personally, I think that whatever hurt Nate is suffering from travels too deep to be healed by any one person. He always seems to feel better when he talks to Annabeth though: his eyes light up, he smiles more often, and his aura just changes.

_Annabeth. _

I'm still confused about how I feel about her. I have become really good friends with her, so I can't say I dislike her. She's really nice, pretty, and ridiculously intelligent, and almost every boy in school talks about her. Most of them think of her as a cute nerd, which I think is probably an adequate description of her, albeit it doesn't begin to her any justice. I get a little jealous of how much influence she has over boys. I mean, any girl that has Nate and Percy at her doorstep is definitely doing something right. I just wish that could be me sometimes.

Nate and Percy both tell me that I have a little fan club of my own, but I've never seen any evidence of that. Whoever likes me obviously doesn't want to declare their affection publicly and I don't blame them. I am dead broke. Not many people want to associate themselves with the poor girl, and before Percy came along, no one did.

Percy sympathized with me because he knows first hand what it's like to be financially stressed. That's the first bond that I ever formed with him, and I always thought that it was strange that I became friends with him through the thing I hated the most about my life.

I turned to my bedside drawer and looked fondly at the only picture that I owned.

It was a picture of Percy and I, standing in front of the Statue of Liberty, smiling happily into the camera. I gave him an identical picture for his birthday, but he wasn't here so I had to give it to him the day before break. I had kind of forgotten to give it to him earlier, so giving it to him before break kind of made sense.

Percy and Annabeth went on a vacation together somewhere right at the start of break, and he hadn't really tried to contact me or anything after he got back, so I was kind of on my own. I volunteered at the local homeless shelter sometimes, walked around Times Square, went to Central Park, but most of all I talked to Nate. He was in the same boat I was, so we spent a lot of time together over the weekend, going to a ton of places.

I remember one day particularly vividly -

_"Hey Nate!" I called out brightly, standing in front of the steps of Goode. This was our usual meeting place when we got together to do stuff._

_"Hey Sarah. Ready to go?" he said, extending his arm to me. _

_I shivered. His voice was so soft, soothing, and persuasive. It was like he could charm me with his words alone. _

_"Sure!" I said and grasped his hand. I locked my hand in his and we walked to the nearest subway tunnel. _

_He looked great, like always. He was dressed in a black woolen coat, a purple scarf, and gray jeans. His midnight black hair blew gently in the wind. I could see his eyes changing into multiple different colors, like a kaleidoscope. _

_"What should we do today?" I asked him inquisitively._

_He shrugged. "I thought that I would take you shopping. If you wanted to that is." he said calmly._

_I laughed. "I can't go buy clothes anytime I feel like it. I'm sorry, but we'll probably need to do something else." I said lightly, trying to disguise my embarrassment._

_Nate turned his head slightly to me, wearing a smirk. "Who said you were buying? Come on, it'll be fine." he said, cajoling me into going._

_I couldn't say no to Nate, so I just went along with him._

_Nate stopped in front of one of those super expensive designer clothing stores and dragged me inside. I let out a little squeak. When he said he was going to buy me clothes, I thought he was joking or if he wasn't he was going to take me somewhere like Aeropostale. I was not expecting walking into the Armani Exchange. _

_Nate led me to the women's area and waved his hand at the clothes like a used car salesman does. _

_"Pick out anything you like." he said with a grin._

_I felt my face turn red. "Umm, I don't think I want to. I don't want you to buy me $2000 pants or $3000 skirts." I said nervously._

_"Come on, I'm serious buy anything you want. I assure you I can afford it, and it would make me super happy to see you walking into school wearing one of these." he said lightly picking out a gorgeous purple dress that I instantly fell in love with._

_"Nate. I don't want you spending on me and that's final." I said firmly._

_Nate turned to me so that I was forced to look into his heart melting eyes. I instantly fell my resolve weaken, and when he spoke, he sealed the deal. "I'm not taking no for an answer Sarah. Either you pick out the ones you like, or you let a fashion challenged boy like me do it. Either way, when we walk out of this store, you're going to have a bunch of clothes - it's up to you whether or not you want to pick out the clothes you actually like. I'm buying this purple one for you even if you don't like it. I have a feeling you'll look gorgeous in it." he said softly and persuasively._

_I blushed profusely. "I-I don't think you're fashion challenged." I stammered._

_He just rolled his eyes and I punched him on the arm. For a fraction of a second, his pupil's dilated, he flinched, and his smile evaporated. I frowned, but then a second later, he forced his expression back, but I could see that his face was strained. _

_"You're too kind, now go on and pick some clothes." he said weakly, trying desperately to keep his voice level and emotionless. _

_I instantly felt worried. There were times where certain things that Annabeth or I did that would make him look so hurt and miserable, that both of us had to resist the urge to hold him and placate him. This was one such time and I instantly felt like I did something wrong._

_Nate turned away and walked to the back of the store, where he stood alone, staring at the ground._

_I walked up behind him in concern and looked up at him, but I could only see the side of his face. _

_"Is there something wrong?" I asked him quietly, my voice filled with worry._

_He turned his head slightly away from me so that I couldn't see his face. _

_"Everything's fine Sarah, I need some time alone though." he said extremely quietly._

_I walked around his side to try to see his face again, but he turned again. I quickly became frustrated, but I understood that he was suffering._

_"You know you can always talk to me if you need anything, right?" I told him earnestly._

_"Yeah, now could you please just go and pick out some clothes?" he said his voice strained._

_I turned and left him alone, giving him time to calm down. 30 minutes later, I had about 7 different clothes that I was extremely happy with. I walked up to Nate with my armful of clothes. _

_"Okay, I think I have enough." I said brightly._

_"Have you tried them on?" he said with a smile. I exhaled sharply, relieved that he was back to normal now. _

_"No..." I said shaking my head._

_"Well come on, you have to try them on." he said with a chuckle._

_I blushed again but listened to him. 2 minutes later I walked out in the first purple dress that Nate picked out. He applauded lightly and I smiled weakly. _

_"Very nice Ms. Madison. You look amazing." he said with smile, his arms crossed over his chest._

_"Thanks." I said softly._

_"Well, I don't know about you, but I am starved. Let's go get something to eat, my treat." he said brightly._

"Sure,_ let me go change." I said and I turned back to the dressing room._

In the end, Nate paid something like $10,000 for those seven dresses, but he assured me that it was no problem and that he was glad that he could help.

_"Just promise me that you'll wait for me when you walk in front of Amy in that and make her puke." _

That was his only condition and I had graciously accepted.

Looking back now, that felt more like a date than a meeting between two friends.

I don't know, I am a little confused about how I felt about Nate too. While I obviously have feelings for Percy, I can't help but feel attracted to Nate as well. But, he never seemed fazed around me or let on that he had feelings that went beyond friendship. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were somehow mutually attracted towards one another.

I sighed heavily and smothered my face in my pillow.

_But he definitely likes Annabeth, so I guess my options are out. _I thought glumly.

Why was life so hard? It seemed like Annabeth was an insurmountable barrier that kept me from achieving happiness.

_Whatever. _I thought. _I'll just tackle this in the morning. I'm too tired to think now._

And then I dozed off, entering an uneasy and troubled sleep.

**A/N: Nate and Sarah have a mini-date. Definitely not my best work: not much of a meaningful story, the ending's kinda rough, but I like it so I'm going to post this anyways. I'm kinda stuck right now thinking about the way the plot will progress, so cut me some slack. I'm sorry if Sarah seems a little shallow, I assure you she isn't. It's just that I still haven't completely gotten her story done. I don't want her to turn into one of those cliche girls that gets Percy by accident and stuff. Anyhow I hope you enjoyed it: Follow, Favorite, and Review.**

**Last thing: How does one get more views? I know I need to change something, because my view counts are incredibly inconsistent. They swing like a sin curve and the views from the first to second story are literally cut in half. Have any suggestions on things that need to be fixed? Or is this is just something inherent to fanfiction in general where I just need to sit tight and wait for more people to see this? Send me your thoughts. PLEASE REVIEW. Thanks.**


	18. Nathaniel's Curse - Part 1

**Nathaniel's Curse - Part 1**

**Nate's POV:**

This break I had spent a lot of time with Sarah. I took her shopping and bought her a lot of expensive clothes. She was reluctant at first, but luckily she relented. I was glad to spend my mother's money on something useful for once. I was sick of seeing her in ratty clothes - she could do so much better.

_She looks like a princess so she certainly deserves to dress like one_... I thought to myself dryly.

Sarah was great. She's nice, funny, and beautiful. Her eyes remind me of Kirsten's, except hers are a beautiful royal blue as opposed to Kirsten's icy blue ones. I don't know exactly how I feel about her. I can definitely feel some tension between us, but maybe that's just me.

Mr. Thomas began to speak, snapping me out of reverie.

"Okay everyone, welcome back! Now in no particular order, do these problems up on the overhead. Oh, and calculators will definitely be necessary." said Mr. Thomas with that mischievous grin that he reserves only for his toughest problems.

He flicked the overhead on and I saw one problem up on the board.*

The class let out a groan.

_y=ax(b-x), y=(x)/(x+2)_

_Find A and B from the two equations such that it satisfies the following criteria:_

_1. There is only one point of intersection between the two equations_

_2. The equations share a common tangent line_

_3. They have an equal curvature_

I furrowed my eyebrows in concentration, trying to think of all possible paths of attack. I noted that for the first equation, if y=0, then x=0 and the same applied to the second equation as well. Now that I had the point, I took a derivative and created a systems of equations by finding the curvature of both equations as well. I then began to crank out the numbers, but not before I cast a furtive sidelong glance at Annabeth.

She wore a similar expression to the one I wore before, her face tensed with concentration. I couldn't help thinking that she looked adorable. She looked great. She was a wearing an olive green sweater and gray sweat pants, her hair tied into a pony tail. I couldn't resist helping her; she looked stumped.

"Start by setting them equal to each other. Then when you find a point, get the derivative and curvature to set up a systems of equations." I advised her.

She turned to me with a frown. "Nathaniel, I am not stupid. That's the first thing I thought of, I am just trying to think of an easier way."

I flushed. "That's not what I meant. I didn't mean to imply that you were unintelligent. You just looked like you could use some help."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Boys." she muttered.

I shook my head and went back to the problem. 5 minutes later I had an answer that looked moderately right. I leaned over to see if Annabeth had something similar. Annabeth noticed and her eyes narrowed. I frowned and followed her gaze.

_She thinks I am staring at her... Oh. Crap! _I thought and my face instantly reddened and my blood felt uncomfortably warm. I snapped my head back quickly and raised my palms up in defense.

Annabeth was narrowing her eyes because she had misconstrued my attempt to see if we had a similar answer with um, let's just say "ogling".

"I swear I was only trying to look to see if you had a similar answer." I said quickly, hoping she would understand that I wasn't a pervert.

I expected her to explode, but she just glared at me for a while and turned her notebook so I could compare answers. I bent down cautiously, letting her know that I was focusing on the paper, not on... well you know.

I scanned her work quickly and spotted the error that had led to her mistake.

"Absolute value of the second derivative. K can't be negative." I pointed out.

She frowned and looked at her paper and then looked back at me.

"I guess you're right, but if I ever catch you doing that again, I will kill you." she said seriously.

I felt myself getting angry. "Annabeth, I am not that type of guy, you know I'm not. I told you the truth. You think that I would do that after I lost Kirsten?" I said deathly quietly.

Annabeth's eyes flew open and I instantly regretted saying that. I had spilled Kirsten's death to her unconsciously. I turned away, unable to look at her. I didn't want to see the inevitable pity in her eyes. I didn't want it and I didn't need it.

I felt Annabeth touch me lightly on the shoulder, but I ignored her.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea you lost a friend. I'm just frustrated with Amy and the rumors she's been spreading around school about me." she said quietly.

I turned my head ever so slightly, my face set in strain. I gently pushed her hand off my shoulder but she took it and held on to it, looking me in the eyes.

Instead of seeing pity like I thought I would see, I saw understanding. That threw me off.

_Had Annabeth lost a loved one too? _I thought in surprise.

"You can let go of my hand Annabeth." I said, doing my best to keep my voice level. I was in danger of being set off. Last time I was, I ended up destroying my old house in Florida.

Annabeth slowly released her hand and I covered my eyes with my hands, desperately trying to block out the world. Today was going to be one of my worse days after all.

**Annabeth's POV:**

_"Annabeth, I am not that type of guy, you know I'm not. I told you the truth. You think that I would do that after I lost Kirsten?"_

I instantly felt guilty when Nathaniel said that, but mind was racing, trying to process what he was telling me. The reason that he was so depressed was because one of his friends died?

_No. That doesn't make any sense. Nathaniel seems super depressed. The way that a person gets when they lose family, a significant other, or a best friend. So in his case which one is it?_

_Well, he insists on avoiding girls and judging by the last part of his comment, whoever Kirsten is, was probably his old girlfriend. If so, what happened to her? How did she die?_

"You can let go of my hand Annabeth." he said weakly.

I released his hand slowly and attempted to apologize, but he just covered his eyes with his hand, shutting me off. I looked down at him in concern, but I knew that he needed his space right now and that talking to him wouldn't improve my situation with him.

_This is all stupid Amy's fault... _I thought, gritting my teeth in frustration.

Amy had gone all over the internet, spreading rumors making me seem promiscuous and slovenly. She used my behavior at the swim meet as proof of that. She somehow had a picture of me kissing Percy right after his meet, and that photo went viral. Almost everybody at school looks at me differently now.

Just today as I was walking to calculus, I heard a boy whistle and say, "Hey baby, can I have some of what Jackson is having?" I refrained from strangling him and his stupid friends as they guffawed like a bunch of brainless oafs.

Percy didn't know any of this had happened, otherwise Amy would be in serious trouble with him. I didn't inform him about it at all, and it was a relief that he didn't understand the snickers and snide remarks people made as we walked by. I did my best to ignore them and I put on a brave face for Percy.

_Boy, am I going to make Amy pay..._ I thought, my brain stewing with various insidious schemes that plotted her tragic demise.

It took me a few minutes to come up with a plan that I was satisfied with, but ultimately I realized that it would be absolutely perfect. I allowed myself a grim smile. I was going to have to wait till lunch before I implemented it.

For the rest of class, Nathaniel didn't say a word to me, look at me, or make an effort to speak to me. I felt frustrated. Everytime I made progress with him, I would do something that would trigger a memory and he would relapse and withdraw again, leaving me to being anew. It was maddening. However, today I had somehow made more progress than before.

My thoughts dissipated as I frowned, feeling a slight pain in my hand. I turned my palm towards me and the pain intensified, making me double over. It was the same hand that I had touched Nathaniel with.

Nathaniel looked at me for the first time since the beginning of the hour in concern.

I looked at my palm and saw no skin, it was though it had been removed and my hand was coated in raw flesh. In the center was a distinctive black mark, that looked like a scale, heavily skewed to one side.

And then it all made sense: The ridiculous good looks. The aura of melancholy. The ability to charm people with his words and appearance. His inability to love any girl who fawned over him. The mother who doesn't love him and treats him with indifference. The dead girlfriend. My skinned hand caused by his feelings of anguish over his loved one.

_Nathaniel Sawyer: Son of Anteros - the God of Unreciprocated Love or Love Avenged._

The pain in my hand passed beyond all bearable levels. I could see Nathaniel's mouth moving, but I couldn't hear him - the pain was too intense. I opened my mouth in a silent scream before I passed out in Nathaniel's arms.

**A/N: Okay spill it, How many of you saw that coming?**

**Okay, confession. I didn't know definitively who Nathaniel's godly parent was going to be until this chapter. Honestly, I thought it was either going to Erebus, Lord of Darkness, or Moros, the God of Fate/Doom, but after doing some research, I couldn't help but notice how perfect Anteros was for Nate. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities, so I am ridiculously excited.**

**I apologize, the transition to Nate's godly parent is a little awkward, but it seemed right to me. I kind of just went with it.**

**I know some of you didn't like the idea of introducing a new demigod, but you have got to admit this was pretty befitting if not perfect. This chapter makes me ridiculously happy. You have no idea how happy I am to find the perfect demigod parent for Nate. Adrenaline is actually just coursing throughout my body I am so excited. I am turning this into a two part story. Part two will be out soon!**

**Shout out to ReadBetweenTheLies again, and especially an Anonymous Guest, both of whom suggested having Amy annoy Annabeth. I kinda morphed both of their suggestions into one, and it turned out great. **

**As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review. I am sure you all have a lot to say about this recent development. **

***Side note - the problem at the beginning was an actual problem I had today. See if you can solve it. I got an answer that looked 99.99% right and all my classmates agreed, but it turned out to be wrong. The work is also legit, I am not making it up. I might have biffed the conditions, but the equations are right. Hooray for authenticity!**

**One final quick thing - I would really appreciate it if you all sent in reviews with your actual accounts, not your guest accounts. For some reason, there's a delay for the guest reviews. This means if I ask for suggestions and stuff, your advice doesn't get read or accounted for until after the story comes out. Make sense? I know it's nice being lazy, but please make an effort to use actual accounts. It also lets me respond to your review. Thanks!**


	19. Nathaniel's Curse - Part 2

**Nathaniel's Curse - Part 2**

**Annabeth's POV:**

I woke up drowsily, my head throbbing. I gave my eyes a second to adjust to their surroundings, allowing them to acclimatize to the harsh white lights hung in wherever I was. I was in a hospital room, dressed in a gown, and it looked like it was about 2 o'clock outside. I heard angry shouting coming from outside my room and I attempted to sit up. A sharp sensation traveled up my arm and I collapsed back onto my bed in pain. Then I remembered what happened before I passed out, memories rushing suddenly into my head.

_The sharp pain. My hand peeled raw and skinless. The black mark. _

I slapped a hand on my forehead, trying to restrain and control my thoughts. I looked at my hand closely, specifically examining my palm. The skin had returned, but it looked brand new - almost like a baby's skin. However, there was a tiny black spot in the center of my hand, a remnant of the symbol that had burned into it earlier.

The voices outside my room escalated and I became nervous. Whoever was outside was not happy. Then suddenly the shouting stopped altogether and my door gently opened.

I saw Percy stick his head in, his expression was one of fury, and his eyes were red and looked agonized.

"Percy!" I called out.

Percy snapped his head up at the sound of my voice, relief washing over his face. "Annabeth! Are you alright? What happened? Tell me everything." he said quickly.

I attempted to sit up, but I settled for propping myself up on my elbow.

"I'm fine. Percy - Nathaniel's a demigod. He's a Son of Anteros. He did this to me. Now before you storm off to kill him, it wasn't his fault. Let me explain first." I said quickly when I noticed Percy's face transform into an expression of pure hatred.

I began slowly. "Anteros is the god of unrequited love and the avenger of unreciprocated love. His symbol, the weighted scale represents Aphrodite's scale. On one end sits Eros, the god of love, and on the other hand sits Anteros. Anteros serves as a counter for Eros. Legend states that when Aphrodite was born, she was pregnant with Eros. After Eros was born though, Aphrodite realized that love needed to be answered in order for it to prosper. And so Anteros was created to match Eros, and he served as his playmate. Anteros isn't just the God of Unreciprocated Love, he's also the punisher of those who scorn the advances of others. There are numerous stories in Greek Mythology, where Anteros has killed heroes or mortals who have rejected the love of another person. Basically, Anteros serves as the banner boy for every love failure that has ever happened."

Percy's face darkened at this knowledge, and he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back on my hospital bed.

"Nathaniel is the only known child of Anteros. This is because Anteros was always spurned by those that he loved, which is why he became an avenger for the heart broken. This means that if he is indeed his child, then he possesses extreme power that we can't even dream of." I finished quietly, coming to the realization of this myself.

Percy spoke first to me, "We need to take him to see Chiron. He'll know what to do."

I nodded in agreement, and Percy bent down a kissed me on the forehead lightly. When he withdrew his expression softened.

"Get some rest Wise Girl, you look like you need it. I promise I won't say or do anything to Nate." he said softly.

I looked at him nervously, hoping that he would agree to stay. I needed him now to be here for me, but I was too stubborn to say it out loud.

Percy gave me a grin, "Don't worry, I'll stay right here." he said softly.

I gave him a weak smile, and settled back into my bed and closed my eyes, surrendering to sleep.

**Nathaniel's POV:**

I plunked on to my bed and buried my face in my pillow. I had just got back from the hospital. I had gone to see Annabeth there, to apologize or whatever. I am not really sure what happened, but I still wanted to see her. When I got there though, Percy was sitting in front of her room. He grilled me and began to yell at me about how he would never forgive me for hurting Annabeth and that he had half a mind to beat the snot out of me. I got angry and began to yell at him too, for no apparent reason other than to defend myself. Percy wouldn't let me see Annabeth, saying that I would only hurt her further. In the end, I gave up and just stormed home, but I couldn't help feeling Percy was right. Somehow I had hurt Annabeth and I felt awful.

It took me a while to realize how exhausted I was from the events that had occurred today. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, trying to shut out the world...

_I was lying on my back in a white ... space? I don't know. It wasn't a room or anything, it just stretched out into infinity. I looked around, but there wasn't a single object that I could see. I groggily put my hand on my forehead trying to gather my bearings. I put my palms on the surface and started to get up. _

_"Need help?" offered a voice. I froze, it sounded like my own only more rich, deeper, and sonorous. _

_I looked up and gasped when I saw myself. Except it wasn't..._

_The doppelganger I was looking back at looked like me, except his appearance was different. His hair was pure white, his skin had no distinguishable color, but his eyes were like mine, glistening with a thousand different colors. They also looked just as sad, maybe even more so. He wore a simple white tunic and white pants._

_I grasped my "negative" me's hand and pulled myself up. _

_"Thanks." I said suspiciously, as I stood up and stared at him._

_"How are you Nathaniel? You don't know how long I have wished to talk to you." said my negative self sorrowfully, but gently._

_"Who are you? Where am I? What's going on?" I asked ignoring his question._

_My negative sighed. "I suppose I should start from the beginning. I am your father, Anteros. I am the Greek God of Unreciprocated and Reciprocated Love. You are my son, and a demigod. Nathaniel, the greek gods from Greek Mythology are real and alive. I am one of them, a minor god." he said slowly, allowing his words to sink in._

_I put my hand up to my forehead, beginning to get a headache. "What? You're a god and my father?"_

_"I know that this is confusing, but you have to trust me. I don't have much time. You'll have to listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. I want you to talk to your friend Annabeth tell her you're a demigod, but don't mention this conversation. She'll help you out." he said briskly, beginning to get a sense of urgency in his voice._

_"Annabeth? What does she know about this?" I said, puzzled. _

_"Just ask her to tell you about Camp and the Gods. She'll know what you mean. If she doesn't trust you tell her this: The owl flies without fail, even in the dark. Being my son, you have control over incredible power. You did hurt Annabeth. You were so anguished and heartbroken that the energy manifested itself in reality and hurt her. You'll have to learn to control it, or it will control you." he said firmly._

_I stood in shock, my mind trying desperately to process everything that he was telling me. _

_"Now listen to what I am about to tell you. You are a son of Anteros and therefore, I am afraid you must bear a terrible curse." he said quietly, his face darkening._

_My face hardened, but I let him continue._

_"When I was born, I served as the God of Reciprocated Love, to balance and match my brother, Eros. For eons, I played my role perfectly, balancing love with love, but I soon grew spiteful of my insignificant role. And so, I fathered a child, born from my own body and scorn. His beauty was unmatched even by Aphrodite. She soon grew jealous and spiteful and so she cursed me. She cursed me to live as one who was unloved and lived as an outcast. I didn't know that she had extended this curse to include my children." he said bitterly._

_"They are doomed to live unloved and to live not loving any who love them. Your friends might like you, but they will never accept you, you are doomed to live as an outcast." he said speaking more quickly._

_"But Aphrodite, being the cruel mistress that she is, offered me a deal. She would allow my children to attempt to find true love. If one of them could, then she would release me and the rest of my children from my curse. Now that I have talked to you and informed you of the curse, y__ou will have 3 months to find true love. Should you fail, you will die and cease to exist. Every trace of your existence will vanish as payment for my sins. The reason no one knows my children exist is because they have all died, unable to find true love. Nathaniel, you can break the cycle. Avenge me and rid me of my curse. But never speak of what I have told you to anyone, otherwise Aphrodite will kill you on the spot." he went on quickly._

_"Wait. I have already found true love. I had a girlfriend named Kirsten. She loved me and I loved her just as much." I said in confusion._

_Anteros's face went even paler than it already was, he stiffened, and his eyes flashed a murderous red. Red and black energy began to emanate from him in waves._

_"DAMN YOU APHRODITE!" he thundered the air around him crackling with power. I gazed in awe, paralyzed unable to move. Every molecule in my body was on fire and the pain was ridiculous. Anteros noticed my pain and his gaze softened._

_He forced himself to calm down and the waves of dark energy stopped flowing from his body, and my body returned to normal. _

_"Aphrodite did this to you: she killed your girlfriend when she suspected that you might break the curse." he said softly, shaking in anger._

_My expression morphed. I was dumbstruck, "The Goddess of Love killed her? That's impossible? She died in a car crash. I saw her die!" I said beginning to hyperventilate._

_"Nathaniel calm down!" Anteros spoke forcefully, and I felt my anxiety wash away._

_"I don't know what's happened, but I swear I'll get to the bottom of this. Aphrodite might be to blame for your girlfriend's death, but you still need to break the curse. You have 3 months and remember, you can't tell anyone." he spoke quickly and I gasped as his form grew transparent, quickly disappearing. _

_"How will I know if I have done it?" I cried out._

_"When you find someone you love and she loves you equally. Then you will break your curse and avenge me! I believe in you Nathaniel. I may be the god of unreciprocated love, but I was originally and still am the god of reciprocated love. Without me, love itself would seize to exist. Believe in yourself and know that I love you!" he called out desperately, finally disappearing completely._

I awoke with a start. The beginnings of dawn painted the sky. The sun was just beginning to rise and the sky held a mysterious, radiant pink glow. However, I paid my surroundings no attention. My thoughts were on the bizarre dream that I had just had.

_It was just that - a dream. My father died years ago when my mother was pregnant. The Greek Gods can't possible exist. Everything's fine, Annabeth just had a freak accident, it can't possibly have been my fault. _I thought, attempting to placate myself.

I was just starting to buy into it when I turned to my bedside table and gasped.

Standing on my dresser, was an ancient, intricate hourglass filled with a dark red liquid. It was dripping slowly through from the top to the bottom. I stared in revulsion and noticed an engraving at the base of the hourglass.

_He who spites Aphrodite, love herself, must pay the eternal price. _

I stared in horror. The liquid inside the hourglass was my own blood. I could see my life, literally dripping away.

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**A/N: Okay everyone, hope you liked the chapter! It was fun to write. I hope you all are a little bit more informed about Anteros. I made up the curse and the scale symbol, though he is actually depicted on a scale across from Eros, so it kind of made sense to make that his symbol. I made up the story about Anteros spiting Aphrodite as well as the curse, so forgive me for inventing mythology. There actually isn't much literature on Anteros, so I took some liberties with everything.**

**I understand it's slightly unrealistic for Nate to accept the gods so quickly and without blame, but he's intelligent and not the type that would be a victim of his circumstance. **

**The curse might seem kind of cliche to some of you, but I think it's actually kind of original and definitely sounds like something Aphrodite would do. I have always hated her the most out of all the Olympians, with the exception of Hera (they might be tied). **

**The review cap will be making a return, just to give me more time to think about the story. Same deal, 5 for a new one. Sorry for bringing it back, especially after I apologized. I think that it's a rather small price to pay however, for the stories. It also helps stabilize my views and brings in newer viewers. However, there is a hitch: If I get over a thousand views on the day that a given story is released, then the review cap will be waived.**

**Will Nate be the first to break the curse? **

**Who will be Nate's true love, and if he finds her, will Aphrodite uphold her end of the deal, or just kill the both of them?**

**What will Nate do about Aphrodite killing Kirsten?**

******These questions will all be answered in the coming chapters, so read on my faithful readers. And as always: Follow, Favorite, and definitely Review!**

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******Trivia Challenge! The first two people to answer correctly can choose from one of the following gifts - Any question regarding the plot, feature of their own original character, a character/plot request, or anything else you can think of! As long as it is within my power and comfort to grant, I will do so. Answers need to be in by Friday, so answer quickly!**

******Okay here is your question:**

******"This Greek God has a sculpture dedicated to his name in a prominent area in London, but is commonly mistaken for his brother. Give me the name of the god the sculpture was actually dedicated to."**

**************I think this will be fun will let allow me to interact with you all more. Send me a PM with your answer and preferred reward, and I will respond telling you if you are right and grant you your reward if you are.**


	20. Sanctuary

**Sanctuary**

**Sarah's POV:**

I walked over to the lunch table, holding my lunch tray carefully in my hands. From a young age, poverty had been a cruel, but very pragmatic teacher. I had learned that being able to eat was a privilege, not a right, and therefore I always treated food with dignity, never wasting it, no matter how badly it tasted. The pizza still made me wrinkle my nose though. I was absolutely positive that they used moldy cheese and rotten tomatoes to make it.

_Well, food is food, and beggars can't be choosers. _I thought to myself bitterly.

I followed my usual routine: sitting across from Percy, next to Nate, and Annabeth sat across from Nate, next to Percy. We were the core of the table - different people might join us on any given day, but we never drifted apart from each other, and we made a pretty good team.

After I sat down, Nate looked up from his pasta and shot me a quizzical look.

"What happened to our little shopping spree?" he asked curiously.

I blushed, trying to think of a way to tell him what I had done, but I was incredibly embarrassed.

"I kind of sold most of the clothes. I am really sorry, it's just that I barely have enough to eat or pay rent, so wearing $4,000 dresses didn't seem like a good use of money. I hope you can forgive me, I just can't wear that type of stuff when my father and I barely scrape by, day by day." I squeaked, desperately hoping that he would forgive me.

His gaze softened. "I can understand perfectly. That was awfully insensitive of me to buy you clothes like that." he said gently.

I looked down in embarrassment, hating myself. I wished that I could have been someone that didn't have to squander expensive gifts for needs as basic as food and shelter. The fact that Nathaniel was so kind and understanding about it all just made me feel that much worse.

"If it's any consolation, I kept the purple dress that you picked out. I couldn't bear to sell that one." I mumbled quietly.

Nate's face brightened instantly, and I felt a little better.

"Just remember your promise to me then." he said with a grin.

I allowed myself a weak smile and nodded in assent, diverting my attention to my food. Nate did so as well.

Percy and Annabeth seemed incredibly uneasy around Nate, and I couldn't help feeling that something major happened that I must have missed out on. Nate just quietly poked away at his food, Percy glared at him, and Annabeth squirmed uncomfortably in her chair.

_Did Nate make a move on Annabeth? _I thought to myself.

I couldn't help but feel slightly crestfallen. I tried my best to clear away my sense of disappointment, but it persisted, nagging away at my psyche. Before I came to any assumptions however, I decided to give myself a second to think.

_If Nate had made a move on Annabeth, then Percy would tear him to shreds. Additionally, Annabeth wouldn't feel comfortable sitting next to him if he tried to violate her personal space. Nate's also not that kind of guy - this past break has shown me that he is kind and understanding, he wouldn't do that to Annabeth when he knows that Percy is her boyfriend. _I reasoned logically.

Despite all this though, I still felt perturbed and I knew that I wouldn't calm down for a while. I ate quickly and decided to steal away to my refuge here at school. I had found it my freshman year, trying to escape from Amy and my other tormentors. I walked up the stairs and opened the door and was greeted with a chilly breeze. I walked out onto the school roof and sat down on the edge, my feet dangling off the edge. I gazed off into the forest that lingered nearby the school.

A few birds that had yet to migrate flew over to me from a nearby tree and I laughed, my mood brightening instantly. The birds circled around me, forming a sort of orbit. A sat back with an inane grin on my face, content to watch the birds fly around me. I lightly lifted up my hand and a blue bird perched on it quickly and sang me a quick song. I laughed brightly. Animals seemed to love me for some reason, especially birds. I think it's because they can identify a good soul far easier than us humans can.

When I heard the door open slightly behind me, the birds sped away, and I snapped my head back, dearly hoping that Amy hadn't found my sanctuary. I was surprised to see Nate anxiously poke his head through the doorway, his purple scarf and midnight black hair blowing gently in the wind.

"Sarah? What're you doing up here?" He asked nervously.

After my initial panic and surprise subsided, I managed to recover and say, "Just here to clear my head. This is where I go when I need a quick break."

He walked forward cautiously, as though he wanted my permission. "I hope I'm not intruding. If you want to be alone, I suppose it would be better if I left." he said with a nervous smile.

"Oh no, make yourself comfortable, I guess. I didn't mean to sound like I didn't want you to stay." I said quickly.

He hesitated for awhile and then made his way towards the edge of the roof. He sat down and let his feet hang off the roof. He was holding something large in his hand.

"My coat. I thought you might be cold up here, so I brought it for you if you wanted it." he explained, answering the look of puzzlement on my face.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise and didn't protest when he slipped his woolen coat over me. I instantly felt warmer and I couldn't help but notice how much his coat smelled like him.

_Like freshly crushed pine needles and crisp autumn air. _I thought as I closed my eyes and softly inhaled, enjoying his scent.

Nate didn't notice (thankfully), he was just staring into the woods as well.

"Anything bothering you?" he asked cautiously, keeping his eyes peeled on a drooping pine tree.

"No, I am fine." I said lightly, hoping to breeze over my emotional turmoil.

"Sarah, you wouldn't come up here to be by yourself if everything was fine. But if you're not comfortable sharing, then I can perfectly understand." he said calmly.

I looked down at the ground, my blood rushing to my face.

"Well, it seemed like something had happened between you, Annabeth, and Percy. I kind of just assumed the worst and got upset for some reason. I don't know, it's really stupid and nothing that you need to worry about. You'll probably think it's silly." I said waiving it off.

Nathaniel turned to me, his multicolored eyes boring into mine, trying to read me. "If anything concerns you, don't feel afraid to share. I am sure that it's significant, and I'll be here to listen." he said genuinely.

I sighed audibly, my breath visible in the air. I brushed away a stray strand of hair hanging in front of my face, trying to find the words to articulate how I was feeling.

"Did you make a move on Annabeth? Do you have something going on with her?" I blurted out, my face turning red seconds after I asked.

Nate's pupils dilated slightly and he wore an amused smile on his face.

I pretended to look down, off the roof again, attempting to hide my embarrassment.

_Wow. Real smooth, Sarah. That's definitely an appropriate question to ask him._ I thought to myself angrily.

I cast him a furtive glance, hoping he wasn't angry. Nate just sat back and wore a bemused smirk on his face, and I felt myself blush again.

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**Nate's POV:**

_"Did you make a move on Annabeth? Do you have something going on with her?" she blurted out, her face instantly reddening._

I recoiled in surprise and then wore a grin on my face that probably looked like a smirk. I sat back and gave myself a second to think of an appropriate response. Ultimately, I decided that it would be best to tell her the truth.

I chuckled lightly before speaking. "To be honest, I don't really know, Sarah. The answer to your first question is no. I didn't make a move on Annabeth. To answer your second question, Annabeth and I are good friends, but I am not really sure how I feel about her." I said slowly.

I couldn't help but notice her exhale, somewhat in relief. I stored that away in the back of mind, wondering why she did that.

"Percy thinks that I might have hurt Annabeth two days ago, which is why he's so angry with me. Annabeth just naturally feels uncomfortable because she probably thinks the same thing." I said cautiously, not wanting to give away too much.

"Well I don't think you would hurt anyone, least of all Annabeth." she blurted out again and that drew another smirk on my face.

_Oh, if you only knew, Sarah. _I thought bitterly.

"Don't be so sure, Sarah. Things aren't always what they seem to be." I said, probably more genuinely than I should have.

Sarah looked confused and slightly flustered. She opened her mouth to say something when a snowflake drifted lazily down and landed on her nose. She crossed her eyes comically, trying to see it again, and I had to try hard not to laugh.

_She looks so adorable and innocent. Wait... Where did that come from? _I thought to myself in confusion, shaking my head to rid myself of my train of thought. I quelled a feeling of uneasiness that suddenly erupted from my stomach, traveling upwards throughout my entire body.

"Look! Snow! It's snowing!" she said brightly and I couldn't resist smiling.

I placed my palms on the roof, and leaned back gazing at the cloudy sky, observing the snow flakes making their gentle descent to Earth.

I smiled lightly, "About time. I was beginning to think that it wasn't going to snow this year." I said softly.

Sarah drew her knees up towards her chest and closed her arms around them, gazing in wonder at the sky, her royal blue eyes reflecting the sky back ethereally. I caught myself staring at her with a dopey smile on my face, and I quickly diverted my attention back towards the sky, my face burning in embarrassment.

Sarah looked at me with a hard look on her face and scooted over, moving closer to me.

_Put your arm around her. _I heard a voice advise me.

Unconsciously, I wrapped my left arm around her left shoulder, pulling her closer to me. She didn't protest or act like she noticed. Instead, she leaned her head on my own shoulder, her beautiful caramel brown hair tumbling down the side of my body. I cast a furtive glance at her and grinned to myself.

We stayed like that for awhile: content to share this moment of quiet companionship, reveling in the beautiful scenery around us. I felt Sarah's breath on my neck and I shivered, hoping that she wouldn't notice. I couldn't help noticing how perfect this moment was, and I wanted to preserve every detail in my memory. This was a moment that I would cherish forever...

I closed my eyes, crystallizing the image around me, forming a mental picture true to every detail around me.

The tell tale ring of the school bell, signaling the end of the hour, snapped me out of my reverie and shattered our tranquil surroundings. For a split second, I couldn't push the image of the malevolent hourglass, dripping with my own blood, out of my mind. I shuddered and stood up, offering my hand to Sarah. Sarah pulled her head off my shoulder, accepted my hand, and dusted her jeans off with her hands.

Together we walked back towards the door that led back into the school. I opened the door and Sarah walked through, her hair blowing over my face. I closed my eyes gently for a second and then followed her down, making my way back to reality.

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**A/N: Well I hope you all enjoyed the first substantial Nate/Sarah interaction. I couldn't help but visualize that scene extremely vividly, feeling like I was actually there, and I hope that came across in the writing. This interaction is definitely more low-key and subtle than my previous ones have been, but still equally as important. **

**I apologize for this chapter being kind of slow, the next few are definitely going to be more fast paced. I just thought that it would be nice to take a little "breather", before the ball got rolling. It's kind of like the sensation of being at the top of a roller coaster track; the calm before the storm if you will. I guess Sarah's little hide out is a little analogous to the chapter as a whole.**

**Follow, Favorite, and Review! Remember to get your 5 reviews in quickly for the next chapter. I just want to thank everyone for sticking with me for the past two weeks (definitely seems longer than that, huh?). I just feel so humbled with all the glowing reviews and encouragement that I am receiving. Thanks!**

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**And now for our trivia question!**

**First, Musical Dream and monkeyjoe are the two winners of last chapter's question. The answer was Anteros, Nate's father (kind of a neat little parallel). In Piccadilly Circus, the Shaftesbury Memorial features a winged angel commonly mistaken to be Eros, brother to Anteros. Alfred Gilbert, the sculptor, made this statue depicting Anteros to symbolize the selfless philanthropic love of the Earl of Shaftesbury for the poor. **

**Here is the next question: **

**"In this famous and stirring love story between Cupid/Eros, God of Love, and a beautiful mortal woman: Aphrodite grows jealous of a mortal woman's beauty and sends Cupid to pierce her with one of his enchanted arrows so that she falls in love with the first thing that she sees upon awakening. To win, you must provide the name of the woman and what events actually transpired when Cupid was sent down to bewitch her."**

**That's a bit of a dozy and is pretty vaguely worded. Don't worry, I'll get the hang of this sooner or later! The rewards stay the same, so just look at last chapter to find them again, or come up with your own! Same deal, first two readers to answer correctly get to pick their prize! **


	21. Perspective

**Perspective**

**Amy's POV:**

Sitting there in AP Physics at the end of the day, listening to Mr. Harding drone on about centripetal forces, I had to do my very best to stay awake. My eye lids kept drooping and I stifled a yawn, brushing my hair out of my eyes. Through my long blond eyelashes I caught a glimpse of Percy hunched over in his chair, looking absolutely dejected.

I frowned. _What's got him so worried? He's usually super happy, I wonder what made him this sad._

"Okay, now everyone get started with the lab." clapped Mr. Harding.

Everyone got out of their chairs slowly and shuffled back to the lab stations.

I stood up and made my way over to Percy, wondering what was wrong with him.

"Hey Percy, is something bothering you?" I asked in concern, coming up behind him.

Percy turned his head slightly so that I could only see his left eye. Instantly he stiffened and anger clouded his beautiful sea green eyes, a look of disgust spread across his face.

_Why does he always look at me like that? It's like I am some sort of disease or mutant. All I wanted was to ask him why he was sad. _I thought bitterly.

"Go away Amy. I am having a tough time as it is. Annabeth's in the hospital, and I know about what you did. You put pictures of us on the internet and demonized her. Let's get something straight - you can make my life a living hell, but the second that you start messing with Annabeth, then I won't back down. Trust me, you don't want me as an enemy. Now leave me alone. You've done enough already." he said harshly.

My face fell. "All I wanted to know was why you were feeling upset, you don't have to be a jerk about it!" I said angrily.

Something dangerous flashed in Percy's eyes and my knees began trembling. "If you're so worried about me, then act like it. Instead, you just try to hurt everyone that I care about. I can't take you seriously, until you earn my trust, and personally, I don't think that you ever will." he said softly.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I was shaking in anger and tears threatened to well up in my eyes.

"Why do you hate me so much?" I asked him angrily.

"Because you seem to hate everyone that I love." he said simply, not even turning around.

I felt like I had been slapped in the face. I made my way over to my lab station and began to work in silence, but my mind was on overdrive, thinking about other things.

I wasn't always like this, you know. There was a time when I was like everyone else - kind and normal. That was before _she _came. My father had remarried after my mother had died in the 7th grade. My step mother was a witch. She was drunk nearly all the time and she smoked incessantly. For a while, everything was fine - I disliked her and everything, but there was nothing too crazy going on. That was until 8th grade when she began to physically abuse me. Ever since then, she's made my life a living hell and she threatened to kill me if I ever told my father.

My father was always away because he was a professional tennis player. He was always playing at tournaments in other countries, so he never had much time for me. He was a great father, but his absence had left me in the clutches of my step mom. During break, she had gotten particularly vicious.

_I walked back to my house after my "wonderful altercation" at the swim meet, boiling on the inside. It was around 7 o'clock by the time I had left the school. I walked up to my door and instantly, my anger evaporated and was replaced by raw, primal fear. Fear of survival. My hands became clammy and cold as I began sweating profusely, my eyebrows furrowed in concentration. I cautiously opened the door with trembling hands. _

_I couldn't see her - that was a good sign. Maybe she was out drinking away at some bar, and she would just come home late and pass out on the couch. Those were my good days. No such luck. My step mother walked out of the kitchen, holding a cigarette. Her curly brown hair disheveled around her face, her eyes had dark rings beneath them. _

_"So princess, you finally made your way home?" she asked venomously. _

_I swallowed and tried to calm my nerves and my shaking knees._

_"Did you hear me or are you deaf? Answer me when I am talking to you, you little bitch!" she shrieked as she backhanded my face._

_I saw stars and my cheek stung sharply, tears began to well up in my eyes. _

_"I am sorry, I got held up at school after a swim meet." I said quietly._

_"You little liar - I bet you were off having sex, you whore." she spat out venomously._

_I felt myself beginning to get angry. "I was not off having sex, you can ask my friends - they were there!" I said loudly._

_Her eyes narrowed and I instantly began to regret my outburst._

_"Are you talking back to me, you insolent little wench? You need to be taught a lesson..." she trailed off a malevolent smile spreading across her face._

_I turned to run away, but she held my arm with a vice like grip, laughing hysterically. She rolled back my sleeve and lowered the burning cigarette butt to my quivering arm._

_I screamed in terror as she laughed, and my vision went black._

"Amy! Amy!" I heard Mr. Harding call out. "Class is over, I'll see you tomorrow." he said.

I noticed that I had broken my pencil in my hand, my fingers were shaking uncontrollably. I quickly forced myself to calm down and then I left the classroom quickly, tears welling up in my eyes.

* * *

**Annabeth's POV:**

I was sitting up, looking out of my hospital window, holding a book in my hand. I was reading it, but then my mind started to wander. I thought about the Iris message Thalia had sent me this morning...

_I was eating my cereal quickly, watching CNN intently. Then all of a sudden, the air around me began to ripple and Thalia appeared on the Iris Message. _

_"Hey Annabeth!" she said with a huge grin._

_"Thalia! What's up? Long time, no see!" I said happily, setting my cereal down._

_"Nothing much. I heard that you were in the hospital, so I thought I would send you an Iris message to check up on you!" she said brightly._

_I then recounted all of the events happening at school. She calmly listened to me, but her face darkened when I revealed that Nate was a son of Anteros. After I finished, she began to speak._

_"I think Percy is right. You need to take Nate to see Chiron, he'll know what to do." she said darkly._

_Then, she told me about her adventures leading Artemis's huntresses. She absolutely adored Artemis, and I couldn't help but compare her to Zoe Nightshade, back when she was still alive. They were more alike then they let on. _

_I heard a nurse heading my way and I quickly said, "Thalia, a nurse is coming, I have to go. Talk later?" I said._

_"Sure. Wait! Before I forget, I am coming to New York in 3 days - we definitely need to hang out. I'll come by Percy's place and we can have a day to ourselves." she said and then the Iris message disappeared. _

My cell phone rang loudly, snapping me out of my reverie. I gingerly picked it up and turned it towards me, trying to see the caller ID.

_Dad._

I instantly felt guilty. I had completely forgotten to tell him that I was in the hospital. I reluctantly picked up, anticipating the inevitable lecture that I would receive.

"Hi Dad." I said into the phone.

"Hello Annabeth. How are you? I heard that you were in the hospital. Is everything alright?" I heard him say softly.

"Yes, everything's fine. I just had a minor accident at school, but I'm better now. I'll be out by tomorrow evening." I said cautiously, hoping to avoid his rant.

Silence. Then I heard him sigh.

"Alright, if everything's fine then that's a relief. I was worried that something major had happened." he said wearily, and I exhaled in relief.

"Annabeth, I want you to come over to San Francisco over Winter Break." he said his tone changing. He spoke gently, but firmly.

I cleared my throat, which had suddenly become dry. "I'm sorry, what?" I asked politely, hoping that I had heard him wrong.

"I want you to come and see us over Winter Break." he said more forcefully this time.

"But Dad, that means that I'll have to miss the Winter Dance!" I protested.

"Annabeth, my word is final. You're coming to see your family. I'll send you your tickets later. Goodbye." he said curtly, and then hung up before I could say anything more.

I threw my phone onto the window sill in frustration.

_I can't go to the dance now! Ugh, life is so unfair. I better tell Percy so that he knows._ I thought in frustration.

I was really looking forward to the dance. It was going to be my first one, and I had everything planned out. I was going to go and buy a dress with Sarah over this weekend. Now all of my plans were ruined.

I covered my eyes in frustration and forced myself to calm down.

_Whatever. I would deal with everything later. For now I needed to rest._

* * *

**A/N: I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I finally managed to get in Amy's POV. She has her own little backstory which will be revealed in the later chapters. Most of the main info was presented in this one since I didn't think it was necessary to make things suspenseful. Amy's POV was pretty sad and I felt bad writing about it, but that's how she became who she is now. More on that later anyways.**

**As always Follow, Favorite, and Review. I apologize for taking so long to update, I did some things yesterday that sucked up a lot of my time. **

* * *

**Trivia Challenge Time!**

**First off, the answer to the last question was Psyche. I am not going to post her backstory, but everyone should Wikipedia her and read the story, it's one of my all time favorites! **

**The winners were: Storm229, Scaket, and Percy Jackson Fan 29. There were 3 winners because Scaket opted to give his/her reward to another person, and so Percy Jackson Fan 29 was the next winner. **

**Today I have two questions for you all:**

**1. "In the legendary Garden of the Hesperides, the 100 headed dragon, Ladon, guards trees that produce golden apples that make its eaters immortal. Who planted these apple trees and why were they planted?"**

**2. "A story from Hindu Mythology, the story of Indra, the God of Thunder, killing Vritra, the Enveloper, after he creates an eternal drought, bears resemblance to which famous story in Greek Mythology?"**

**If you answer either of them right you get to pick a reward. ****There can be 2 winners for each question.** But if you can answer them both right, I will allow you to request one sequence in the story. It doesn't seem like much, but it's huge - you can, in essence, pick any scene that you are dying to see and have it actually happen! However, because this is such a giant reward, only one person can get it. Therefore, first person to PM me with both of the right answers gets their scene!

**There are some conditions however:**

**1. You can't kill off any of the characters**

**2. No vulgarity or gory violence**

**3. You can't make monumental changes to the plot**

**Send me a PM with a description of your scene, and if I deem it acceptable I will write it. It might take some time in order for me to make it seem natural to the plot. For example, if you are dying to have a scene where Sarah and Nate go out with each other for the first time, I obviously cannot make that the next chapter. So depending on your idea, it might take a long time. **

**Some final things about the trivia questions in general:**

**1. I will no longer accept an answer if it is written as a review. IT MUST BE A PM.**

**2. I will not accept an answer if you are not signed in. This goes hand in hand with the first one. This is mainly because I can't respond to you and because your answer never appears until a couple days later which means you can never win. PLEASE SIGN IN! I always respond to all of my reviews, so please sign in!**

**3. I am not accepting OC's anymore, otherwise the story gets messy. Sorry! :p**

**Thanks and have fun!**


	22. Winter Wonderland

**Winter Wonderland**

**Percy's POV:**

"What? Your dad is making you go visit him over Winter Break?" I said with a frown on my face.

Annabeth and I were walking around Central Park. It had been two days since she had been released from the hospital, but she was already getting her strength back. She was pretty much as good as new with the exception of the black mark on her palm, but that was a small price to pay for what could have happened.

I never told her, but seeing her in the hospital had shaken me up pretty badly. I became really angry and frustrated because I couldn't do anything to help her and because I couldn't bear to see her in pain. In retrospect, I felt sorry for lashing out at Nate. I just feared that he might hurt her again, but now that I know that it was because he couldn't control his demigod powers, I felt a little sad for the guy. He must feel awfully confused and alone. My screaming at him must not have helped too much either.

Annabeth brushed her blond hair out of her eyes before speaking. "Yeah, but I am going to try to convince him to let me stay. I was looking forward to spending Christmas with you and your family." she said sadly.

I frowned and stared at the snow on the ground as we continued walking, desperately trying to think of a solution. Then it hit me like a brick.

A huge grin broke across my face and I said, "Why don't you invite them here? They could come and meet my parents. You can spend time with your parents, and you can stay here. It'll be perfect!"

Annabeth stopped and looked at me with a huge grin. She threw herself into my arms.

"When did you get so smart Seaweed Brain?" she mumbled into my chest.

I scowled. "Hey, I resent that."

"Just kidding Seaweed Brain. But honestly, that's a great idea. It'll give my a dad a chance to see Columbia before he starts working here, and he can meet your Mom and Paul." she said with a smile.

We held hands and made our way around the park. Then it began to snow and I had another brilliant idea.

"Hey Annabeth?" I asked her softly.

"Yes Seaweed Brain?" she said lightly, a smile on her lips.

"It just occurred to me that I still haven't asked you the dance. Properly at least." I said tersely, my throat feeling bone dry.

"Nooo... Really?" she said sarcastically, dragging out the "O" in no.

"You're making this more difficult than it has to be, Annabeth." I mumbled, and that elicited a chuckle on Annabeth's part.

"I remember telling you quite clearly that I was never going to make things easy for you Seaweed Brain." she said with a chuckle as she bent in and kissed me, taking me by surprise.

"Yeah, yeah." I muttered after she broke away.

Then suddenly Annabeth took off running.

"Annabeth, wait! I still need to ask you!" I called out after her.

"You're going to have to catch me first! Work for it Jackson!" she called back, and I broke out into a run.

There was no way that I was going to catch up with her if she had a head start, so I cheated. I manipulated the snow so that it stopped her, much to her chagrin. I caught up to her with a smile on my face.

* * *

**Annabeth's POV:**

"Hey! You cheated. That's not fair!" I protested as the snow flakes formed a barrier around me, preventing me from running any further.

I fought back half-heartedly as Percy pulled me in for a kiss. I broke away and wore a look of mock disappointment, crossing my arms across my chest.

Percy pulled me in close and held onto me lightly. "Ooh, I am so scared now!" he said jokingly.

"You should be, Seaweed Brain. You should be." I said laughing.

He cleared his throat and I felt his body tense around me.

"Umm, well so, Annabeth, do you want to go to the Winter Dance with me?" he said hoarsely and I had to refrain from giggling.

In the end I couldn't help it. I broke out laughing and Percy's face fell. Seeing him look so dejected just made me laugh harder.

"Geez Percy, that was definitely the most romantic way to ask a girl to a dance. By stuttering and asking plainly. Try harder, Jackson!" I chided teasingly.

Percy crossed his arms over his chest, and his dark hair covered his sea green eyes. His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned at me.

"You're unbelievable, Annabeth." he muttered.

"Hmm, I'm sorry, what was that? You're going to have to speak up." I said lightly.

Percy rolled his eyes and he uncrossed his arms.

I giggled and began to walk away slowly so that he would have to jog to keep up with me. I turned around a short while later, but Percy was nowhere to be found. I frowned.

_That jerk ditched me! Well guess who's not going to the dance with that guy! _I thought in mild exasperation.

I gasped as suddenly, I was surrounded in a tornado of snowflakes spiraling around me at incredible speed. The snowflakes moved so quickly that they seemed fluid almost. I gazed in awe at the miraculous sight around me. Then, I looked up at the top of the vortex and squinted into the light and I let out a squeal. Percy had popped up out of nowhere behind me, his arms wrapped around me.

"Hold on Wise Girl." he whispered into my ear and I shivered, and little electric shocks traveled through my body as his lips lightly brushed my neck.

We suddenly shot up through the spiral, and as we neared the top the tornado exploded, sending a shower of snowflakes floating around us. Then Percy turned to me, his eyes alight with love and affection.

He got down on his knee, resting safely on the bed of snowflakes, and took my hand into his.

"Will you, Annabeth Chase, go to the Goode High School Winter Ball with me?" he said as seriously as he could.

I covered my mouth with my hand. "Yes! Yes! Of course I will!" I squealed.

Then suddenly the lazy floating snowflakes converged upon us and formed a sphere. I smiled as I remembered my last spherical adventure. This time however, the sphere didn't fly off, it just slowly descended. We were lightly set to the ground and the sphere dissolved, sending a flurry of snow around us, forming a double helix before finally being swept away by the wind.

"That romantic enough for you, Wise Girl?" asked Percy with a teasing smile on his lips, his arms still wrapped around me.

I turned to him with a hard, blazing look on my face. I took his face in my hands and kissed him sweetly.

"Yes, yes it was Seaweed Brain. Well Done." I said lightly and he flashed his happy lopsided grin at me.

"Okay enough with the romantic wishy-washiness you two. Geez, you both make me want to hurl." I heard a voice call out in front of us.

Percy and I turned around in confusion, and we both looked shocked to see Thalia Grace standing at the top of a snow covered hill 20 feet away from us, her arms crossed in disappointment but betrayed by the huge grin she wore on her face.

* * *

**A/N: This is an apology story to apologize for being so sloppy with my last few stories and to make up for not updating quickly. I bypassed the review cap on this one to make it up to you all. **

**Kind of short. Classic Percabeth. Need I say more? Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed it. No trivia question for this chapter, just enjoy it. I am sure you have your hands full with the other one. As always, Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

**Note: I am sorry if I made the characters seem slightly OOC. I hope I ramified that with this chapter. Additionally, I am going to condense down and tighten up the story a little more. Just to clarify, Annabeth wasn't bummed out only because she couldn't go to the dance last chapter. I am sorry for making it seem that way. She just didn't want to leave Percy behind. I hope my solution to her problem appeases you all!**

**Secondary Note: I want to speak directly to one of my reviewers: cupidlovegoddess. I read your most recent review and I wanted to apologize. I want to explain myself: You are never signed in so I can't ever reply to your reviews. You can ask any of my other reviewers, and you will know that I always respond to my reviews diligently. I only couldn't do so because you are never signed in. Additionally, because you are never signed in, your reviews have a lag time as with all of my other unsigned reviewers. Therefore, I can't actually see your review or read your advice/requests until a couple days afterward. With regards to your character request, I am no longer taking OC requests because my writing is getting super scatterbrained with all of the characters I currently have. Additionally, because you aren't signed in, your answers to the questions don't come in early enough to qualify for the rewards. Please don't take it as me ignoring you: I personally want to apologize, and feel free to PM with any questions you might have! If any of my other reviewers can get a hold of this individual and relay this message it would be greatly appreciated!**


	23. A Girls Day Out

**A Girls Day Out**

**Annabeth's POV:**

"Thalia!" I called out in astonishment, making my way over to her. "W-what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming till tomorrow?" I stammered.

Thalia flashed me a grin, unfolded her arms and gave me a big hug.

"Geez Annabeth, nice to see you too." she said teasingly.

I blushed. "I'm sorry. Hi, how are you?" I asked her.

"I am doing great. To answer your earlier question, I got here a little early. Artemis is here for the Winter Solstice." she said, breaking away from me, crossing her arms again.

Percy and I nodded, the Winter Solstice meant that all the gods would be meeting. Thalia took notice of Percy and lightly punched him on the shoulder.

"Hey Perce, how are you?" she said with a smile, and Percy absent-mindedly rubbed his shoulder.

"I'm good. You do know that you can't hurt me anymore by punching me since I am invincible, right?" he said jokingly.

Thalia scowled. "Well it looks like you're doing better than 'good' aren't you? With all your romantic gushiness... I didn't expect this from either of you." she said, shaking her head disapprovingly. Percy and I just laughed, and he drew me in close, wrapping his arms around my waist and I did likewise. Thalia rolled her eyes obnoxiously in response.

We made our way around Central Park and we shared stories. Thalia told Percy about her latest huntress adventures, but I had heard them a few days ago, so I kind of tuned out.

I thought about Nathaniel. I still needed to talk to him about being a Demigod, about Camp, and I had to take him to see Chiron. Percy said that he would help me out, but I knew that this was my task alone. I was thinking about what I would tell him, and how he would react. I tried to force myself not to worry.

Then unbidden, a thought popped into my head.

_I wonder who he'll take to the dance, or if he'll go at all? _I thought suddenly.

I dispelled it quickly however. Nathaniel had made it quite clear that he was still not over the death of his girlfriend. At least that's who I thought Kirsten was. It would be shame though. I was kind of hoping that he would ask Sarah so that all of us could go to the dance together. I would probably drop a hint to him about Sarah wanting to go. I am pretty sure she would be thrilled to go with him, even if she didn't feel any romantic attachment.

_Gosh, I am starting to think like an Aphrodite girl. _I thought to myself smugly.

But even I couldn't deny that they would be an adorable couple. They were perfect for each other, and from the look of things, they seemed to have chemistry to a certain extent. Well, time would determine how things would play out.

"Hey Annabeth, dress shopping tomorrow? Gotta get ready for your big dancing debut!" said Thalia brightly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Sure, sounds good. We can leave tomorrow at 11, grab some lunch, and hang out and stuff. I'll call Sarah too." I said brightly.

"Who's Sarah?" said Thalia with a frown.

"Oh, she's this really nice girl from school. You'll love her, she's great!" I said brightly.

Thalia shrugged and seemed fine with it.

A short while later, Percy and I left to go back home and Thalia left to her hotel, claiming that she was exhausted. Percy and I curled up on the couch, ate some pizza from an amazing nearby pizza place, and watched "Shutter Island". It was ridiculously good, but I had to explain the end to Percy, but even he thought that the movie was amazing. Then we had a minor make out session and we went to sleep. It was kind of nice to do something low key for a change.

The next day, Thalia, Sarah, and I wandered around downtown New York, trying to find a store where we could buy dresses. Thalia was obviously not going to the dance, but she wanted to come help pick out clothes anyways. Thalia and Sarah hit it off right away like they were old friends. I smiled at the pair of them, exchanging tales like old fishwives. We were by a string of expensive designer stores when Sarah stopped suddenly.

"Ooh, this is the place that Nate took me to once." said Sarah pointing to an Armani Exchange store.

My eyes widened and I shook my head, sending my blond hair into a frenzy.

"Sarah there is no way, in a million years, that we could afford to get a dress from there." I said sternly.

Sarah blushed and stuffed her hands in her coat pockets in embarrassment.

"I know. I was just thinking about the time that Nate took me here and how much fun I had." she said sheepishly.

"Who is this Nate guy? Is he your boyfriend?" asked Thalia inquisitively, but with evident distaste.

Sarah's face went crimson and I stifled a giggle as she squirmed in discomfort.

"N-no, he's j-just a friend." she stammered, desperately trying to avoid the topic.

Thalia rolled her eyes and looked utterly unconvinced, which made me crack a small smile.

"Whatever. Whoa. Hey you guys, look at that store!" she said pointing at a small, cozy store tucked away between two mega retail stores. Despite being incredibly out of place, it looked pretty nice and I was pretty sure that it wouldn't break our budget, so we walked in. It looked like a small family owned store that you might see in a rural setting, as opposed to downtown New York City.

The first thing that hit us when we went inside was the smell of apple spice and cinnamon. We all inhaled deeply, closing our eyes in content. A kind, elderly woman with greying hair shuffled up to us, hanging a dress on a clothing rack nearby. She was the epitome of a child's favorite grandma.

"Hello! How can I help you girls today?" she asked kindly.

"We're here to buy a dress for a school dance." I responded.

She shook her head knowingly and led us through her small shop, stopping at a section of semi-formal clothes. It was evident that she had done this multiple times and that she knew what she was doing.

"I think you should find everything you are looking for here." she said, gesturing to the dresses behind her, and then she padded away to do some other things.

Sarah, Thalia, and I began to sort through dresses looking for whatever caught our eye. I decided that if today was going to be a girl's day out, that I might at least act the part.

"So Sarah, has Nathaniel asked you to the dance yet?" I asked her casually, setting down a frilly white dress.

"Umm, no. I don't think he will. Why do you think he like me?" asked Sarah curiously.

I rolled my eyes. "He adores you. I mean come on, he bought you over $10,000 worth in dresses at the Armani Exchange. If that doesn't scream attraction, I don't what does." I said knowingly.

Sarah furrowed her eyebrows, "I don't know. He seems like he just wants to be friends, but judging by what happened earlier this week, I am not so sure..." she said trailing off, her eyes glazing over.

Thalia and I snapped to attention. "What happened earlier this week?" we both asked simultaneously.

Sarah flushed. "Oh, nothing. We just kind of talked on top of the school roof." she said quietly.

"And?" we asked in chorus.

"Well, we kind of semi-cuddled." she said sheepishly, looking down at her feet as Thalia and I high-fived each other.

"It was nothing too serious though: I kind of just sat next to him, he wrapped an arm around me, and I put my head on his shoulder." she said quickly.

"Aww, that's so adorable." I said happily and even Thalia cracked a small smile.

Sarah kind of squirmed. "You really think that he would want to go with me? I mean, he's so amazing, kind, and rich and I'm just... just me." she asked quietly.

"Look Sarah, any guy would be lucky to go with you. Have a little more self-confidence." said Thalia firmly and I nodded in agreement.

A smile slowly blossomed over her face. "Thanks you guys." she said softly.

Thalia and I nodded to show her that it was nothing.

"Oh my god, Annabeth I found the perfect dress for you." said Sarah sharply.

Thalia and I padded over to her. Sarah held up a beautiful sea green, strapless dress. It was low cut, but not to the point where it looked too revealing. The color matched Percy's eyes perfectly. The fabric glistened and gave off multiple different color patters, ranging from periwinkle to emerald green. I sharply inhaled. It was perfect.

"Go and try it on." said Thalia handing me the dress.

I quickly went into a fitting room and slipped it on, eager to see how it looked on me. I guess that dress shopping brought out the more girly side in me, and I wasn't complaining. It was definitely a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I walked back out and Thalia and Sarah gasped.

"Annabeth, you look gorgeous!" squealed Sarah as Thalia nodded in agreement, a huge smile on her face.

I scurried over to a mirror and gasped.

_Wow. I look... Wow. _I thought inarticulately, gaping at my reflection. The girl looking back at me was almost unrecognizable - she had gorgeous golden hair that sparkled in the light, beautiful stormy gray eyes, and an amazing dress. Amazing what wearing a new dress could do to you.

"Well I guess my search is over. Now time to find you a dress Sarah!" I said brightly and I went into the dressing room to change back.

I walked out of the fitting room and began to search for a dress that would be perfect for Sarah. It took me about five minutes before I stumbled upon an obsidian black dress that was made almost entirely out of feathers. My eyes widened and I picked it up, padding over to Sarah.

"Take a look at this!" I said proudly, showing her the dress.

Sarah looked up and her eyes went wide.

"Oh my gosh, Annabeth, that's perfect. But... I don't even know if I'll get asked to the dance and I don't have any money anyways." Sarah said shyly.

"Hey! You're going to the dance, trust me. Nate will ask you sometime soon. I bet he's planning something special. And don't sweat the cost, Thalia will pay for you!" I said confidently.

"Hey!" I heard Thalia call out indignantly.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to..." she muttered nervously.

"No, it's no problem. Now go try it on." said Thalia emerging from behind Sarah. Sarah gulped and went over to the dressing room.

When she came back out, we could hardly recognize her. I had always thought that she looked gorgeous from the first moment I had seen her, but she looked like a goddess standing in front of me now.

"Well, does it look terrible?" asked Sarah nervously, completely oblivious to how gorgeous she looked.

Thalia was the first to recover. "You look astounding. Go take a look at yourself." she said.

Sarah went over to a mirror and I heard her let out a small gasp. When she came back she had a huge grin on her face.

"It's perfect you guys." she said happily, and Thalia and I nodded in approval.

I smiled as she went back to the changing room to change into her normal attire. She came back out, we paid the lady, and went to grab some lunch. We sat down with our food when Nate walked in. At first he didn't notice us, making his way to the line in front of the cash register. However, I saw him and called out to him quickly.

"Nathaniel!" I called out, waving at him.

He turned around in confusion, trying to locate the sound of my voice. He was wearing his woolen coat and his favorite purple scarf. After he spotted us he walked over with a huge grin on his face. Before he got here though, I nudged Sarah gently and she blushed violently.

"Hey guys. Crazy running into you here. Oh, hi. My name's Nate Sawyer. Are you a friend of Sarah and Annabeth?" he asked Thalia lightly.

Thalia nodded, but she wore a ghost of a frown on her face. "Yeah, I am an old friend of Annabeth's. I am visiting New York so I thought that we could hang out." she explained.

Nate nodded in approval. "You guys mind if I borrow Sarah for a minute?" he asked casually.

"Yeah sure, keep her even. I am sure she'll be more than happy to oblige." I said with a smirk.

Sarah gave me a death glare and stood up. She and Nate got some food and walked out of the restaurant, deep in conversation. I smiled when I saw the way that Nate's eyes lit up when he talked to her, and how Sarah wore a huge smile that refused to disappear.

I turned back to Thalia with a grin on my face, but it instantly dissipated when I saw Thalia's face set in a frown.

"What's wrong?" I asked her in concern.

Thalia turned to me with a worried look on her face. When she spoke, her voice was low and agitated. "There's something wrong with that guy." she muttered.

"Yeah, he recently lost his girlfriend." I nodded sadly in agreement, but Thalia shook her head.

"No I mean, well, ever since I became a huntress, I have been able to pick out energy patterns in people. It kind of lets me see how strong different people are and how they're feeling/thinking. Think of it as an ability to read people's personalities in a physical manner." she explained. I nodded, showing her that I understood what she was saying.

"Well, when I saw that guy, I saw a ridiculous amount of energy surrounding him, almost like a cloak. It wasn't positive like you or I though, it was red and black. That guy is swirling in negative energy, darker than a child of Hades, and he has enough to kill everyone in this building - including you and me." she said quietly and my eyes widened.

"Nate's a Son of Anteros, so he would naturally be strong, being able to call upon the energies of those who have been scorned, but I didn't know he was that strong." I said quietly in concern.

"It's not just that. There's this aura around him, that sucks everybody into it - kind of like a vortex. It's similar to patterns of persuasion I can pick up on strong children of Aphrodite, but this is on an entirely different scale. That boy could kill people with his words if he wanted to." she said shivering.

I frowned, perturbed by how much Thalia was shaken up by him.

"Annabeth, when I looked into his eyes, I felt my vows to Artemis disappearing. It's like his presence was literally eroding my vows. And the weirdest part about this all, is the shape of his cloak. It looks like a demon, something that would have crawled out of the deepest part of Tarturus." she said quietly, and I felt my blood turn cold.

_I definitely need to take him to see Chiron. _I thought resolutely.

* * *

**A/N: Hello everyone. Sorry for updating so slowly. Hope you like the chapter. Annabeth and Thalia are slightly OOC, but they were shopping for a dance - I think a little girl talk is acceptable, so cut me some slack. I am sorry if I completely butchered girl talk/dress shopping. I am literally clueless about how either of those things work. **

**One a completely random note - I feel really depressed right now. I was writing a list of memories that I never wanted to forget, and I realized that after I came to High School, multiple things happened. **

**1. My life got a lot less interesting - I spend all of my time doing homework or working on debate**

**2. My love life has completely and utterly collapsed - I haven't had a girlfriend for a few years now, and the girl that I have had a crush on since middle school hasn't been in any of my classes since high school started. There was a time when I think I could have asked her out, but now we talk and see each other so infrequently, I don't think that it's possible. We've been really good friends for ages now, but I feel like we are growing apart.**

**I know you probably don't care, but I just feel horrid right now, so I felt like sharing. Sorry!**

**Not doing a trivia question this chapter because I am too lazy.**

**Anyhow, I hope the chapter was nice. Next chapter will be more exciting, I promise. And as always, Follow, Favorite, and Review!**


	24. A Cold December Night

**A Cold December Night - First Date**

**Sarah's POV:**

To say that I was thoroughly shocked to see Nate at my favorite pizza place would be a gross understatement. But that was nothing compared to how shocked I was when he asked if he could "borrow" me. I think that I had a pretty good idea what we were going to talk about, but I didn't give anything away since I didn't know for sure.

We both walked out of the pizza place into the cold December air. Cars, Buses, and Taxis honked in agitation on the streets, but Nate and I navigated our way skillfully around the pandemonium of Times Square. My hand was wrapped securely in Nate's hand and he led me through the crowds, moving purposefully in some unknown direction. I had to jog slightly to keep up, and I could see a faint smile on his lips as we rounded a corner, standing in front of Rockefeller Center.

Nate suddenly stopped and we both gazed at the spectacle before us. The giant christmas tree was up and completely swathed in a variety of ornaments that glittered in the light of the afternoon sun. I slowly walked forward so that I was level with Nate, and I adjusted my black winter cap to keep it from falling into my face.

"Nate, this is beautiful and all, but what exactly are we doing here?" I asked cautiously, hoping that I wouldn't mess up whatever he had planned.

Nate turned to me with a huge but devilish grin on his face. "That's a surprise. I have something special planned for us." he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Before I could open my mouth to say anything more, he dragged me down to the ice skating rink that was in front of the center. There were quite a few people there already - young enamored couples, parents with their children, the occasional senior citizen. Generally, everyone was just skating, having a good time. We walked over to the ice skate rental booth and as we waited in line, Nate began to talk.

"Have you ever been ice skating here? Ever since I was a little kid and I saw this place on TV, I've always wanted to come and skate here. Anyhow, I thought that it might be fun if we could skate around for a while." he said with sheepish grin on his face.

_He looks so dreamy. His hair keeps getting in front of his eyes, and I really want to move it out of the way. Gosh, his eyes are ridiculously beautiful. _I thought absentmindedly, my eyes fixated on his lips as he talked animatedly.

It took me a while to realize that I was gaping at him.

"Everything alright?" he asked with an amused smirk on his face which made me blush furiously.

"Yeah, sounds great! Ice Skating!" I said nodding my head in confirmation.

"Do you think that you could teach me how to skate? Being from Florida, I don't really have much experience with winter sports." he asked shyly, looking at me earnestly.

It took me a while to process what he was saying. "Oh, wait. I don't know how to ice skate. Sorry!" I said in confusion, only now realizing what he was talking about earlier.

"Oh that's fine. I'm sure we can learn, it doesn't look that hard." he said with a grin.

I turned away and swallowed audibly.

_I am going to make an absolute fool of myself. I have no idea how to skate! Good thing he's in the same boat I am... _I thought to myself nervously.

Unfortunately for me, I was completely wrong. After we got a pair of rental skates, Nate and I clumsily made our way over to the rink. But the second he touched the ice, Nate just took off. It was like he was born to do this - he was gliding gracefully across the ice, with evident ease. He did a couple laps while I fumbled around awkwardly, tripping over my feet, desperately trying to keep my balance.

I stumbled and began to fall backwards, giving a shrill shriek that pierced the air. A few seconds before I made impact with the ice, Nate swooped in and saved me. With his momentum, we kept gliding forward and he was holding me bridal style to prevent me from falling. He was looking down at me with a smile, his eyes twinkling merrily.

I felt my heart skip a beat and I tried hard not to stare at him, in all his perfection. Slowly but surely, the blood rushed to my face and boiled, making me feel very uncomfortable.

_Oh my god. Is this a dream? _I thought in awe.

Nate set me down gently, and held my hand tightly. I was relieved because I was terrified, thinking that I would fall down again.

"Want me to give you some lessons? I think that I might have the hang of this." he offered and I nodded quickly, sending my hair bouncing crazily.

He quickly skated in front of me, and took both of my hands in his, keeping me in balance.

"Okay, you just want to push off with your feet, making a scraping motion with your legs. You can keep your balance by keeping your knees slightly bent, and keeping your feet about an arms length apart." he said helpfully.

I moved my feet cautiously into the alignment that he had just described, and looked up at him hesitantly, biting my lip. "Like this?" I asked softly.

"Perfect." he said with a grin, and I blushed again.

"Now just push off slowly, and try to keep your balance. You can look at my feet if you want to see what I am talking about. Don't fight the motion however, or you'll end you up falling." he warned me.

I gave him a curt nod and mirrored his movements, and gasped in surprise when it seemed to be working.

"Nathaniel, I'm doing it!" I said happily, looking at him for approval.

He nodded in assent, flashed me a grin, and skated back to my side, still holding my hand all the while. We spent the next few hours skating happily. At first, I messed up frequently, either tripping over my own feet or trying to fight my forward momentum, but later, I messed up rarely, if at all. In both circumstances, Nate never left my side and always managed to catch before I ever hit the ground. I had to force myself not to fall on purpose, just so he could catch me again.

Before we knew it, the sky began to darken and the lights in New York City began to flash brightly, illuminating the entire city. There was enough light to reveal the entirety of the rink.

After I got to a stage where I didn't need to focus intently on my skating, Nate and I talked. We talked about school, our friends, our activities. I learned that Nate was now the captain of the Speech, Debate, and Quiz Bowl teams. He was also a big figure head in the Robotics Team, in charge of getting sponsorships from software companies and stuff. Thanks to him, the Robotics team had the most money out of all the clubs in the entire school.

I listened with genuine fascination at everything he told me, but I really wanted him to just ask me to the dance. I was getting awfully nervous about whether or not he would ask. I would stare up at him and think to myself as he talked animatedly.

_Gosh, just ask me to go to the dance with you! Why are boys so clueless and frustrating? Wait... What if he doesn't want to go to the dance? Or worse, what if he just dragged me along to get advice on asking some other girl? _All these thoughts and more just zipped around in my head. I hated myself for being so shallow, but I really _really _wanted to go to the dance with him.

At some point, my brain must have made a subconscious transition from worshipping Percy to worshipping Nate. It was kind of fuzzy as to when, but I didn't really mind. It was nice to avoid competition with Annabeth. I realized that she made Percy happy, and that I didn't really want to come between the two of them. I liked him and everything, just not in the same way anymore. I was still grateful to him, but he was more like a best friend rather than a potential boyfriend.

I felt differently around Nate. I felt more accepted and I wasn't treated just like another friend. Percy was always incredibly kind to me, but he never made me feel any different than the rest of his friends. With Nate, I felt special, like I had him all to myself.

"... and now we have a couple weeks to go before districts, but we look like we're in good shape." he said brightly, probably talking about robotics.

That was the last straw. I felt my annoyance escalate and burst forth, like a water rushing through a broken dam.

"Nathaniel, will you go to the Winter Dance with me?" I blurted, finally running out of patience.

He did that thing again where his pupil's would dilate in surprise, and I felt like I had accidentally stepped out of bounds. I expected him to look hurt like he did that time at the designer store when I punched his arm. Instead he wore a wry smile.

"I was under the impression that the guy was supposed to ask the girl for the Winter Dance. I guess you just beat me to it." he said wearing a small smile.

I felt my insides blossom with warmth and I grinned inanely at him.

_He was going to ask me! _I thought triumphantly.

Nate exhaled wearily.

"I had a surprise planned for later, but I guess that it would work now." he said lightly, and before I could say anything he made a gesture with his arm and a spotlight flashed down on us. I gaped at him, but he just smiled and took my hand.

We skated around the rink, the light following us. The light was shortly accompanied by many other multicolored lights, illuminating the entire rink. It took me a while to realize that we were alone on the rink, and my hands suddenly felt incredibly clammy. I cleared my throat dryly, looking at Nate in confusion. He just gave me a knowing smile and we went for another lap.

_What is going on? Why are there spotlights shining on us? _I thought nervously.

I was so wrapped in my thoughts, that I lost my footing and began to fall backwards. Nate caught me, his hands on my lower back. This time, instead of setting me upright, he held me like that, just looking into my eyes with a smile on his face. I blushed furiously, and he pulled me up. He took my hand, pulled it high into the air, and I twirled doing a pirouette. I gave a nervous giggle, wondering what he was going to do next.

Then Nate wrapped his arm around my waist and I unconsciously slipped my hand onto his shoulder. From nowhere, Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me" began to play loudly, and it slowly dawned on me what was happening.

_Oh my gosh, we're dancing in front of all these people. _I thought, mortified.

Nate didn't seem to mind, and he just danced with me. We twirled around and around and I began to lose awareness of my surroundings, thinking only of Nate and how he was making me feel.

"Pack up, LET'S FLYYY AAWWAYYYY" sang Sinatra, his voice echoing throughout the entire complex.

We somehow ended up in the same position that we began in, Nate holding me as I leaned back. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, and a devilish grin on his lips.

"So Sarah..." he trailed off, still grinning at me inanely.

"Yes?" I asked him innocently, trying not to laugh and ruin the moment.

"Did you hear that our school was having a dance?" he asked jokingly.

"Why yes, yes I did." I said with smile, playing along.

"Well, you see. There's this girl that I know; she's smart, beautiful, and funny, but I am really nervous about asking her." he said slowly, looking into my eyes.

My heart fell a little. "Oh, who is she? Well regardless, I am sure whoever it is, she'd love to go with you. You're so amazing, I am sure she'd say yes." I said softly, shocked that he wasn't going to ask me after all.

"I am glad to hear you say that. Sarah, do you want to go to the dance with me?" he said seriously.

"Yes, yes of course!" I said with a giggle as he beamed down at me.

He quickly picked me up, carrying me bridal style, and I laughed. My heart felt like it was soaring on a cloud and I felt so ridiculously and stupidly happy that I couldn't stop smiling.

"Did you hear that everybody? She said yes!" he called out to the casual observers and we were greeted with loud cheers and whistles. I just blushed further, and Nate took me around for one final victory lap.

* * *

**Nate's POV:**

I came back to where Sarah was sitting, holding two cups of piping hot chocolate in my hands.

"Here." I said offering her a cup, and she graciously accepted, murmuring her thanks. I plopped down beside her and we took small sips out of our cups. I turned to her, but she was deep in thought.

"Thanks Nathaniel." she said sheepishly, staring at her cup intently.

"For what?" I said, brushing my hair softly.

"For everything." she said, turning to me and looking at me seriously.

I smiled and shrugged. "Hey, it was the least I could do. Now, at least no one could upstage me anytime soon." I said with a grin.

She laughed and my heart did a somersault like it always did when she laughed or smiled. I instantly felt better. Actually, it was the best that I had felt in months. It was nice to actually do something fun for a change. For once, I could actually forget my worries, and for the first time in weeks, I could forget about my curse hanging over me.

We sat in silence, sipping our hot chocolate. I cleared my throat, trying to gather the courage for the next thing I wanted to ask her. Things had gone smoothly so far, but I knew that my luck might not hold out for too much longer.

"If you aren't busy or anything, do you want to maybe come over and catch a movie at my place?" I asked as confidently as I could, desperately hoping she wouldn't notice how nervous I actually was.

She raised her eyebrows and had a ghost of a grin on her face. "Nathaniel Sawyer, are you asking me out?" she asked teasingly.

Now it was my turn to blush furiously. _Crap, she read in between the lines._

"Yeah I guess I am." I said cautiously, trying to see if my luck would hold.

"Of course, I would love to." she said with a smile, as she turned to face me, her eyes blazing in the darkness. I felt my throat dry out again, and I had to fight with every fiber in my body, not to lean over and kiss her. But unbeknownst to me, our faces leaned in close, and she closed her eyes, her lips slightly apart... when suddenly I stood up, pretending to stare at my watch.

"Gosh, we should really get home. It's getting late." I stammered.

"Umm, yeah. Yeah, I guess we should." she said sounding disappointed as she got up.

I turned away from her, trying to hide my embarrassment and attempting to calm myself down. I couldn't kiss her. Not yet, at least. I was still feeling guilty about Kirsten, and until I sorted it out. I hated myself for doing this to Sarah though, she didn't deserve this.

"Listen Sarah, I am really sorry. I just can't do that right now. I can understand if you don't want to take me up on that date tonight." I said sheepishly, looking at my shoes.

She walked up beside me. "No, I still think a movie sounds nice. Don't worry about it, I guess it's a little too soon." she admitted and that made me feel even worse.

_Leave it to me to screw up a perfect day. This is like a repeat of my first date with Kirsten. _I thought bitterly, and Sarah must have noticed as well.

"I had a lot of fun today Nathaniel. Don't beat yourself up. I definitely didn't see any of this coming. You're amazing." she said confidently, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I let out a nervous chuckle and hugged her back. When we broke away, I looked her in the eyes.

"Thanks." I said firmly. I was glad that she was so understanding.

Then before I could protest, Sarah gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I hope that was acceptable at least." she said shyly, but I couldn't speak. My brain had turned into mush, my neurons frozen in space. Boiling blood was rushing up to my face and my cheek felt like it was on fire, but in a good way.

I said something real intelligent like, "Um, yeah."

That elicited a smile from her, and she locked her arm in mine as we walked towards my penthouse, on this cold December night.

* * *

**A/N: Ahh, I am so excited! Nate and Sarah's first date! I know it's kind of sudden, but it just kind of fit. I hope you liked the way he asked her, I swear it sounded better in my head. Sorry for making the chapter so long and then splitting it into two parts - I just can't resist the fluff. I always enjoy writing it and get really carried away. I honestly don't know how I think of these things. **

**I know the kiss scene is like the worst anticlimax ever, and I am pretty sure you all groaned when you read it. I just don't want their relationship to move so fast that it seems fake. Having Nate ask her out is already kind of a stretch. This is the first time that I have wrote up to my usual standards in a long time. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and as always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

***Note: I understand that getting from Times Square to the Rockefeller Center that quickly might be spatially/geographically impossible, but it's a fictional story people.**

**Random Note: I have been going on a reading spree around Fanfiction and I am outraged by the amount of stories that feature Luke. This is no fault of the author's, I just hate him. By far my least favorite character in the series ever! The second I read about him, my first time reading the Lightning Thief, I absolutely detested him and I completely sympathized with Percy. Luke toyed with Annabeth's feelings and played her like a tool, not caring about how much pain he was causing her. The worst part is that Annabeth STILL WENT AFTER HIM! Oh my god, I hate it when girls do that! I swear there is a guy in my high school that is exactly like Luke and he plays all the girls and hurts them, but they still chase him. It makes me livid. RAGE SO HARD! Sorry, just needed to share that. =)**

* * *

**Trivia Challenge!**

**Answer to the two stumpers, that no one got right from a few chapters ago:**

**1. Gaia planted them as a wedding gift for Zeus and Hera. Kind of strange I know, I thought so myself.**

**2. It is a parallel to the story of Zeus battling Typhon. I am Indian, so I couldn't resist making the comparison.**

**This chapter's question:**

**"This Mythological Greek Figure is depicted as a statue, standing behind the ice skating rink in the Rockefeller Center. Who is the figure?" **

**Easy question, I know. Same rules as always: First two readers with the right answer win. You can no longer ask for OC's. You must be signed in and send a PM in order to qualify. Sound good? Good luck!**


	25. First Kiss

**A Cold December Night - First Kiss**

**Sarah's POV:**

The snow flakes were still falling down slowly, and the sky was alight with stars that glistened like diamonds. The moon was full and glowing, shining brightly in the night sky.

Still I had to admit, I was definitely feeling a little let down when we didn't kiss at the Rockefeller Center. Everything was perfect: the setting, the atmosphere, the person. However, I understood that Nathaniel needed his space and so I left him alone. I had no intention of rushing things and messing everything up.

Regardless of our anticlimactic kiss, everything had gone so perfectly, I almost felt like I was drifting in a dream and that my dad would wake me up and tell me that breakfast was ready. You've got to admit that the boy knew how to show a girl a good time. I swear, never in a million years did I expect a boy to take me ice skating at the Rockefeller Center on our first date and then somehow manage to get everyone off the ice, and dance with me to Frank Sinatra. The fact that it was Nate who had done so, was both completely unexpected, but so befitting. I mean, everything about the date just screamed Nate. Today was honestly too good to be true - I found the perfect dress, the perfect boy to go with, and for the first time, I had a boyfriend. Things can't get much better than that.

"What're you thinking about?" asked Nate softly, a grin on his face. I looked up at him and bit my lip, brushing my hair out of my eyes.

"This is going to sound really corny, but I actually think that was the most perfect first date anyone could have gone on." I said earnestly.

He gave a soft laugh and my heart did a little flip and my stomach felt like it was being brushed by a 1000 butterfly wings. Honestly, I didn't think boys could have beautiful laughs, but leave it to Nate to have one.

"Well, I am glad you liked it. It took me forever to think of a way to ask you that was as special as you were." he said softly, looking at me, his eyes glistening with affection. I immediately blushed for the umpteenth time that day.

He leaned towards me, and wrapped his arms around my shoulder. I was feeling a little gutsy, so I took his hand and guided it to my waist. In response, he turned to me in surprise, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Just thought I would be safe, in case you weren't comfortable with that." he said with a smirk. I just smiled dopily at him, content to just gaze into his eyes. His hair was covering them again, so I gently pushed it out of the way which made him crack a smile.

"Well, we're here. Up we go Mademoiselle." he said, gesturing with his arms at the revolving doors in front of us. I giggled and stepped inside, Nate close behind me.

Nate lived in one of those really expensive penthouses that dotted the New York skyline, the likes of which my father and I didn't even have purchase to dream about. Nate lived pretty high up, on the 31st floor. We got out of an elevator that was bigger than my room and started to walk towards his room. I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous and angry, that people could live like this whereas the rest of us had to scrape by every single day.

"You probably think that we are disgusting, right?" he murmured sadly beside me.

I snapped my head in his direction. "No! You're amazing Nathaniel, I am sure that you deserve this!" I said genuinely.

"That doesn't mean that I like it. I know that sounds ungrateful, but I can't sit up here in the lap of luxury when everywhere around me, I see people slowly freezing to death." he said seriously, and I pursed my lips thinking about what he was saying.

"It's people like you Nathaniel, that give those of us in poverty a shot. We can't ask for more than that." I said quietly, and then stood on my tip-toes giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. That made him blush like a tomato and I giggled at his discomfort. He looked absolutely adorable when I did that.

"Umm, well, here we are." he stammered inarticulately and I laughed, unable to contain my amusement. Nate just shot me a look of exasperation and I doubled over, laughing uncontrollably. He stood there helplessly and when I recovered, we walked into his apartment and I gasped, my eyes wide open in shock.

The apartment was gorgeous. There was a hallway that led to a living room that was decked with extremely comfortable furniture, Persian rugs, an LED TV, and a live fireplace to boot. To my left was a massive kitchen with granite countertops and a pantry chock full of food.

"Make yourself at home I guess." he said, and I removed my shoes and walked around in wonder. I squeezed my toes on the soft carpet, relishing the feel of the fine fabric beneath my feet. I couldn't resist making a comparison between our apartments. My entire apartment could have fit inside his living room with space to spare.

"Where do you sleep?" I asked, curious to see his room and also to distract my train of thought.

Nate took my hand and led me to a room on the far eastern edge of the apartment, beyond the kitchen. He opened the door and turned on the lights, illuminating his room. His room was sparse and I could see how much he detested living so comfortably. There was a simple bed in his room, a small bedside table, and a closet with all of his clothes. The defining feature however was the pair of giant windows that went from floor to ceiling at the edge of his room.

I walked over towards them and looked at the New York skyline in astonishment. I heard him walk up behind me and he stood beside me, staring sorrowfully at the night lights.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" he asked quietly, his eyes analyzing the landscape intently.

"Yes it is, but I get the feeling that you don't enjoy the view." I said in response.

He shook his head. "It's not that. A bad thought just popped into my head, but it's nothing that you should be concerned about."

The moonlight fell into the room through the windows and bathed it in pale, white light. The light cast an eerie, yet beautiful glow on Nate, making his skin glow softly. Nate looked like a god, bathed in the moonlight - serene, sorrowful, but most of all, he looked incredibly alone.

In that moment it occurred to me how alone Nathaniel must have been ever since he moved here. His mother never came home, he didn't have very many friends, and no one really cared for him. In fact, apart from Annabeth, Percy, and I, he didn't really talk to anyone.

_He lives by himself, without anyone that cares for him. At least my dad always made me feel loved, despite our trying circumstances. I guess that no one has a perfect life, even Nathaniel's is marred by something. _I mused silently.

"Come on, let's go watch that movie." he said after a while. Together we walked back to the living room, and plopped on the couch, but I insisted on sitting on the ground. I was absolutely fascinated with the Persian rug, so we picked a spot by the fireplace and sat down.

We ended up watching some random movie that was playing on cable, but we weren't really paying too much attention. We just sat besides each other silently, relishing each other's company. I stole glances at him as we watched the film, and noticed how he wore a faint, almost carefree smile on his face. For once, he looked unburdened and young. I couldn't help thinking that he looked so much better when he was happy.

"I'm going to grab some water." I said, standing up suddenly. He looked up at me and nodded. I was about to walk over to the kitchen when I tripped on his feet, falling on top of him with a sharp cry. I had landed with my arms near his shoulders and I looked down at him, and he looked at me affectionately. We looked into each others eyes for a while, his multicolored ones reflecting mine and vice versa. Then before either of us could process what was happening, we leaned in, eyes closed, and kissed.

This being my first kiss, I can't really compare it to anything, but it felt amazing...

His lips were soft and slightly warm, and he was very gentle and caring. My brain kind of short-circuited and every thought in my head just stopped instantly. It was incredibly sweet and I felt very disappointed when he broke away. I sat up and he sat in front of me, his forehead gently touching mine.

Both of our eyes were closed partially, and our breaths were short and ragged. Unable to resist him for a second longer, I put my hands on his cheek and kissed him again and he reciprocated. When we finally broke away, I sat back kind of dazed and he wrapped his arms around me as I put my head on his shoulder, just like we did that day on the rooftop.

* * *

**Nate's POV:**

"You're the most beautiful girl that I have ever met. I just want you to know that." I whispered into her hair, and she blushed furiously. The funny thing was, I meant it. I didn't feel I was turning back on Kirsten, I only felt like I was finally moving on.

_She's dead and there's nothing that I can do to bring her back. _I thought sadly, but being with Sarah made me feel that same spark that I had with Kirsten. Though whereas with Kirsten our relationship had been pretty platonic, with Sarah, my heart beat quickened just thinking about her, my feelings just raged out of control, and I felt terribly confused.

_I guess this is what it is like to be hopelessly in love... _I thought to myself in amusement.

I pulled her close, cherishing the feeling of her warmth pressed against me. This was the closest human contact I have had for god knows how long. I couldn't help feeling like I was acting extremely needy, but being alone for so long had finally gotten to me. Being with Sarah reminded me of what it felt like to be around people that I loved. I had severed every bond I had ever forged in my life as a defense mechanism to cope with Kirsten's death.

We were sitting on my Persian rug, in front of the fireplace, just staring into the flames. This moment felt like the one we had shared on the rooftop not too long ago. Everything about it was so perfect, I wished that I could have just stayed like this forever.

"I wish I could stay here with you." said Sarah softly into my chest, and my heart skipped a beat in happiness.

"You do know that you're always welcome here?" I said in response, wondering - no, hoping that she would stay. Instead I heard her laugh quietly and shake her head in response.

"As much as I would like to, I have to get back home. My dad must be worried." she said quietly, but I could tell that she wished she could stay.

I pursed my lips in disappointment, but then I sighed in surrender. "I suppose I had better take you home then. No, buts. I am dropping you off, there's no way I am letting my _girlfriend _walk around New York City in the night." I said firmly, ignoring her protests, but I could tell that she was secretly happy.

We sat there for a little while longer, loathed to shatter the moment, but eventually we stood up and gathered our things. After Sarah finished getting all of her stuff, we walked out of the apartment and made our way to the garage. We hopped into my Mercedes and I could tell that she was impressed and disgusted at the same time. I didn't say anything though, but I couldn't help hating how someone as wonderful as Sarah would have to suffer without even the most basic needs.

Sarah gave me the directions to get to her house, and we sped along the streets of New York City. We approached a neighborhood that I had never been to before, the buildings all looked incredibly old and run down. Homeless children played with hollow looks in their eyes as their parents sat with sullen, dejected looks on their faces. I could literally feel the misery and helplessness wafting around the place, and I felt myself getting angry again.

_How could she live here? Why do good people always have to suffer so much? _I thought, seething with fury.

Sarah must have noticed because she placed her hand lightly on my arm and I began to calm down. I parked in front of her house, and we locked eyes, hating the fact that the time had finally come for us to leave.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Nathaniel. The most fun I have probably ever had in my life." she said quietly, and her words brought on an alien adrenaline rush. I knew right that second that I wanted nothing more than to make her happy. I wished so much that I could just rescue her from poverty's iron grasp and allow her to live the comfortable life that she so rightfully deserved.

"I wish you didn't have to go." I said pleadingly, surprised at how vulnerable I sounded. She gave me a heart-meltingly sad smile and kissed my cheek lightly. As usual, my brain just kind of melted and ceased functioning. Then before I could say anything, she opened the door and slipped outside. She bent down so that I could see her face through the glass window, and she smiled again and gave me a little wave. I smiled back weakly and then she turned and made her way to her house.

I watched her, sorrowfully, feeling a dull ache in my heart and I knew I was a goner. I sank back in my car seat and sighed heavily.

The girl had trapped me and stolen my heart away, and I knew that more than anything, I wanted to be with her. I stared aimlessly out my windshield watching the snowflakes accumulate against the window pane. Then I started my car, and after I glanced back at Sarah's house, I made my way back to my own empty house, spending another night alone, desperately wishing that she was there.

* * *

**A/N: I rewrote this chapter at least ten times. I struggled because I kept adding in heavy things that would completely ruin the mood. In every version it ended in one of them crying and then making out, but I didn't want to spoil how perfectly everything had gone before by changing the tone of the story. **

**I know things seem to move quickly with Nate and Sarah's relationship, but it feels natural to me so I am going with the flow. I apologize for how much time I spend having Sarah worship Nate, it's just a little bit of thought process and descriptiveness. **

**I apologize for updating so slowly (relative to how quickly I usually update). I have been busy with finals week, since my quarter ended this week at school. Thanks for being so patient! In exchange I am going to post a special story! You can choose between either:**

**A. The story of the Chases and Jackson's having a Christmas Dinner OR**

**B. The story of Sarah and Percy going to Ellis Island**

**I won't be posting until I have enough requests for a given story. First story to receive 5 recommendations wins! PLEASE REVIEW, REMEMBER THE REVIEW CAP!**

**No question for this chapter. The answer to the last one was Prometheus, the Titan that gave mankind fire. Should I continue doing these trivia questions? I feel like they're kind of getting old, but I enjoy giving you all an opportunity to interact with me and read more Greek Mythology. It would be great if you could attach your thoughts to a review.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter, it was a little on the long side. As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**


	26. Dead Man Walking

**Dead Man Walking**

**Nate's POV:**

I was standing in the middle of a lush, green valley, peppered with varieties of wild flowers blossoming around me. I spun around in confusion, trying to gather my bearings. Tall, foreboding pine trees towered off behind me, and my mind was racing.

_Where am I? What am I doing here? _I thought to myself in concern.

I didn't recognize my location whatsoever. The valley I was standing in was surrounded by a mountain range to my north and a forest behind me. A gentle summer breeze blew past me and I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun. The disturbing thing was that there weren't any animals anywhere. Not a single squirrel scampering into a tree or a bird flying in the sky.

I stiffened as I felt a hand lightly touch my shoulder, and when I turned around I stood paralyzed, unable to speak.

"Kirsten?!" I said in shock, trying to process what was going on.

Kirsten was standing in front of me, looking absolutely beautiful. However, her form was transparent and blue, and she was wearing a long billowing dress that was very "un-Kirsten". She gave me a sad smile and I frowned in confusion.

"Hello Nathaniel." she said wistfully, and I put a hand on my head trying to quell my growing headache.

"What's going on here? How are you alive? I saw you die..." I trailed off, the pain in my head intensifying.

Kirsten gently placed her hand on my cheek and pulled my head up gently. I looked at her, my eyes glistening with sorrow. Before I could help it, I began to cry in frustration.

_She's dead! What's she doing here? _I thought in confusion, my tears streaming down my face.

"Shh... You're asking all the wrong questions Nathaniel." she said soothingly in my ear.

"Then what are the right questions?" I asked bitterly.

"Why do insist on tarnishing my memory by spending your time with that girl?" she asked me softly, her voice laden with disappointment.

"What're you talking about?" I asked cautiously, trying not to hyperventilate.

"Sarah. Why are you holding her and kissing her, like you kissed me? Why are you cheating on me? Do I really mean so little to you? I gave my life for you, but apparently that wasn't enough to satisfy you. You've treated my sacrifice like it was nothing by moving to another girl, months after my passing." she said, her voice filled with hurt.

My eyes opened widely and I began to hyperventilate. Hearing Kirsten saying this, saying what I have been thinking, was more than I could handle.

"You're not real. You're dead. Go away. Leave me alone." I plead, trying to placate myself. She merely locked eyes with me and spoke confidently.

"You're breaking my heart Nathaniel... I thought.. I thought you loved me." she spoke with a quivering voice.

"I do love you. More than you can even imagine." I said earnestly.

"No, no you don't. You don't love me anymore. You love her now." she said firmly.

"That's not true. Kirsten you mean the world to me." I said, trying hard to convince her that I was telling the truth.

"It took me 8 years to get you to kiss me! It took her one month... Is she really that much more beautiful than I am or are you just not the person I thought you were?" she asked me, her voice ringing accusatorially.

I couldn't say anything. I could only listen to her helplessly because everything that she was saying was true, and I couldn't deny it.

"You're going to have to choose Nathaniel. Me or her. You can't respect my sacrifice and fall in love with her at the same time. The fact that you have kissed her is the equivalent of spitting on my memory, and I can't tell you how hurt I feel." she said firmly, and I looked up at her.

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at me with fire in her eyes. Then she leaned in and kissed me sweetly, but then her form began to disintegrate in the wind.

"You'll have to choose..." she whispered one final time.

* * *

I woke up with a start, my body drenched in cold sweat. I swallowed loudly and turned to see my hourglass sitting innocuously on my bedside table. In a fit of rage I picked it up and hurled it against the wall. It didn't make a single dent. I screamed in frustration and threw over and over again on the ground, tears streaming down my face.

I sank to my knees and held onto the hourglass weakly. My life was literally ticking away before my very eyes.

I stood up wearily and wiped my sleeve over my eyes, trying to clear my tears. My throat was parched so I walked into the kitchen, pulled out a cup, and filled it with cold water. I drank loudly, trying to placate myself.

_It was just a dream. That wasn't Kirsten. Kirsten's dead and she would want you to be happy. You can't cheat on a corpse. Sarah makes you happy. _I thought trying to reason my way out of my guilt, but to no avail. No matter how hard I tried, there was no way I was going to be able to accept my relationship with Sarah.

Everything Kirsten had told me had already run through my head, but seeing her physically saying it was a million times worse than imagining it. I couldn't forget the tone of her voice. It was filled with so much hurt that it tore me apart. I couldn't accept how selfishly I had been acting. Kirsten was right - I have changed. Am I really so self centered to want gratification? Kirsten had sacrificed herself for me and I couldn't let her sacrifice go in vain, but I couldn't just forget about Sarah either.

I sighed and walked back to my room, brooding darkly. When I walked in, I froze when I saw a woman there, sitting on my bed, holding the hourglass. She was wearing a strapless red and purple dress that sparkled as though it had captured the stars in it.

She turned around to face me and I gaped at her. It was as though her face was constantly evolving, becoming increasingly beautiful, as though it was calibrating itself to what I thought was beautiful. Everything about her was perfect and beautiful, but I felt no attraction towards her whatsoever - only apprehension.

"Who are you?" I called out nervously.

She got off my bed and raised her eyebrows coldly. "You mean to tell me that you don't know who I am? I thought you were supposed to be intelligent." she asked me haughtily, as though she was insulted by my inability to know her name.

I frowned and my mind raced at a thousand miles per hour, and then it dawned on me. My body instantly felt a wave of dread course through it.

"Aphrodite." I said, attempting to sound as confident as I could, but I could tell she didn't buy my ruse for a second.

She stalked over haughtily with a look of disgust on her face, her eyes turning red. She looked me over, up and down, her eyes analyzing me.

"Shoddy build. As worthless and bland as your father before you." she spat out with disapproval.

I frowned and my face darkened. "Don't say anything about my father." I said firmly.

She appraised me and her eyes glinted murderously in the light. "You have guts, insulting love, herself. I think I like you. To bad you'll be dead in a few months." she said with a smirk.

I didn't like this woman whatsoever, but I knew that I couldn't do anything to her. Suddenly, rage began to build up inside me and I clenched my fists.

"You killed Kirsten. You killed my girlfriend." I gritted through my teeth.

"I did. I let you have your fun with her, but then she became a hassle, so I got rid of her." she said airily, as she studied her perfectly manicured nails.

A wave of black rage coursed through and before I knew what was happening, red and black energy began to cloak my body.

"Don't talk about her like she's your toy!" I screamed, anger clouding my judgment. I wanted so desperately to hurt this woman and make her suffer for what she had done.

Aphrodite just raised an eyebrow and before I could process anything, she teleported in front of me and punched me in the stomach. Blood flew out of my mouth as I doubled forward. She picked me up and thrust me into the wall, cracking it behind me.

"Listen you little twerp, I have half a mind to kill you where you stand, but seeing as how you're a dead man walking, I'll let you entertain me for a little while longer." she snarled at me, and I glared at her.

"By now you should have realized that you have no chance of breaking the curse. I am _love. _I determine who falls in love with who. You have no way of surviving unless I permit it, and I highly doubt that I would ever do that." she whispered quietly, and my heart fell.

"That's right, despair. You don't have much time left. I'll see to it that your new girlfriend's life is hell after you die." she said with a smirk and I snapped.

Black and red energy shot out of my body and propelled her backwards.

"STAY AWAY FROM SARAH" I said in a voice that was not entirely my own. Aphrodite stood up, her hair slightly disheveled and her eyes widened. I was completely cloaked in energy that was vaporizing the air around me.

"Get out of my sight." I said in disgust.

"I hope you enjoyed your little dream, Son of Anteros. I'll see you again." she said and then she disappeared.

After she vanished, the energy surrounding my body dissipated, but my room was torn up. My vision teetered suddenly and I saw spots dancing in front of my eyes. Finally, my vision went black and I collapsed, unconscious on the ground.

* * *

**A/N: Nate finally meets Aphrodite. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I wanted to throw something in there to spice things up a little. Nothing much else to say. As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

**Just to clarify - Aphrodite made Nate have that dream. It was a mixture of Nate's own guilt and Aphrodite's meddling. That's why she says at the end, "I hope you enjoyed your little dream." It's not actually Kirsten saying those things - it's a combination of Nate's worst nightmare and Aphrodite breathing that into reality. Throughout the rest of the series, Aphrodite does her best to make his life hell by giving him "challenges". This is his first challenge: forgive himself for spending time with Sarah and realize that he isn't cheating on Kirsten or tarnishing her memory.**


	27. Dinner With the Chase's

**Dinner with the Chases**

**Percy's POV:**

Annabeth's parents were coming over to dinner tonight, so my mother had all of us running around like squirrels. Paul was in charge of getting all the materials for the Christmas dinner, I was in charge of tidying up the place, but my mother was doing everything. She was running around like a madman - cleaning, cooking, and supervising. We were busy the entire day getting everything ready.

I couldn't help but visualize an ant hill - myself and Paul being the worker ants and my mother, the queen.

Annabeth was with her parents at some hotel, so that she could spend time with them and show them around New York. Both my mom and I felt that everything had to be perfect for Annabeth's parents. After all it was their first impression of us, so wanted it to be a good one.

To say I was nervous would be an understatement - I was absolutely mortified. Horrible thoughts kept running through my head.

_What if her parents don't like us? What if they disapprove and won't let us see each other anymore? What if I make a complete fool out of myself? What if I accidentally spill gravy on Annabeth's step mom? What if her brother's hate me?_

I was thinking non-stop on this sort of tangent the entire day. Earlier, I was so nervous I gave Annabeth a call to calm my nerves, but she just laughed at me and waived it off like it wasn't a big deal.

_"Relax Seaweed Brain! You're taking this way too seriously."_ she said to me.

I rolled my eyes in desperation. The problem was, _this was a big deal_. I didn't want her parents to think that I wasn't good enough for their daughter. I struggled to repress my feelings of panic, but they threatened to override my emotions.

I took a deep breath and glanced at the clock.

_7:15. I have 15 minutes till they get here. I guess I should probably get dressed. _I thought grimly.

I slipped into my white dress shirt, some black dress pants. I looked at myself in the mirror, finagling with my tie. The darned contraption was impossible to put on! I cursed quietly under my breath and Paul walked passed by room and doubled back.

"Need help with your tie, Percy?" he asked, and I shot him a grateful look as I nodded.

2 minutes later, Paul beamed at me triumphantly as he tightened my tie on my neck gently. I had done my best to memorize the process because the dance was a week away, but I was still kind of confused. Paul patted me on my shoulder and looked down at me with a smile.

"Everything's going to be alright, Percy. Don't stress about it. Annabeth's a smart girl, so her parents must be too. They'll like us. After all, we are all super awesome!" he said with a grin and I laughed.

"Thanks Paul. I needed that." I said honestly and he nodded once before leaving the room.

Paul was a surprisingly natural addition to the family. I mean, I still like Poseidon a lot and everything, but it was nice to have a paternal figure that could be with me constantly. I mean, the God of the Sea can't exactly come see his son's soccer games, but Paul was always there with mom, cheering me on. I was grateful to him, for everything that he did. He made mom happy, and I guess that's all that I could really ask for.

The clarion sound of the door bell snapped me out of my thoughts.

_Crap! They're here! _I thought nervously, absentmindedly fidgeting with my tie.

I shot one quick glance at the mirror one final time, pushing my hair out of my eyes so that I looked respectable, and made my way over to the door.

Paul stood in front of the door, and he shot my mother and I a quick smile which was accompanied by a confident nod, as if to say "Here we go." Paul opened the door and broke into a huge smile.

"Mr. and Mrs. Chase! It's wonderful to see you, come on in." he said warmly.

"I wanna see Percy!" I heard a voice yell, before Mr. Chase could respond. I assumed that was Bobby. Matthew called out after him, "Yeah! Me too!". Then the two of them came charging in as Mrs. Chase protested behind Paul. They were like whirling dervishes - absolutely chaotic - and they tackled me.

They were both identical and they looked different from Annabeth. They had brown hair and gentle blue eyes, whereas Annabeth was blond and gray eyed.

"Percy!" they sang out in chorus and I laughed as I ruffled their hair fondly.

"It's good to see you guys too." I said with a laugh.

Mr. and Mrs. Chase walked in and found seats on the sofa. Paul and Mr. Chase quickly entered a conversation about politics or something as Mrs. Chase bustled into the kitchen to assist my mother. I frowned and craned my head at the doorway trying to find Annabeth.

"Mr. Chase, where's Annabeth?" I asked him curiously.

"Oh, she'll be right on up. She was getting something from the car first." he said with a smile and then he turned back to resume his conversation.

I nodded in assent and I turned to face the doorway again, eagerly trying to catch a glimpse of Annabeth. I smiled when I heard her voice echoing in the hallway, as she muttered a curse in Greek. I ran outside trying to find her. She walked up the stairs and blew a strand of hair out of her face, as she carried something large in her hands.

"Annabeth!" I called out as I ran to her, to help her with her package.

"Seaweed Brain!" she responded happily. "Help me carry this god-forsaken package, I swear it weighs a ton!" she muttered angrily.

I smiled and took the package away from her. I let out a grunt in surprise as I was astonished by how heavy this thing was.

"Geez Annabeth, did you put a boulder in this thing?" I asked her incredulously and she laughed in response.

"What's this for?" I asked her curiously.

"It's a Christmas present for your mom and Paul." she said nonchalantly.

After we made it into the apartment, I put the package down by the kitchen, straightened myself and turned to look at Annabeth. It was the first time tonight that I could actually get a good look at her. She looked gorgeous - her hair was glossy and golden and it tumbled across her shoulders. She was wearing a blue dress that looked amazing on her. She wasn't wearing any noticeable make-up, not that she needed it anyways. She had a little bit of blush on and maybe a little lip gloss, but that was it. The one thing that remained unchanged however, were her eyes. They were still the same as when I first saw them 4 years ago, as I woke up at Camp Half Blood.

"Is something wrong Percy? You're staring at me like I am a mutant alien or something..." she asked nervously.

I recovered and flashed her a smile. "No, just thinking about how gorgeous you look right now."

She blushed and punched my arm lightly. "Not funny, Seaweed Brain." she said embarrassedly.

I raised my hands up in the air in defense. "No, I swear. You look amazing." I said with a straight face.

She rolled her eyes and pulled me in for a kiss. "You don't look half bad either, Seaweed Brain." she whispered quietly in my ear and I shuddered involuntarily.

"Hey! Not half bad?" I teased her and she rolled her eyes again.

"Come on, let's go see what everyone is doing." she said and she led me out of the kitchen.

All of the adults were engaged in a conversation and didn't pay us much notice. I heard some shouting coming from my room, so Annabeth and I rushed in to see Matthew and Bobby wrestling with each other on my bed. Annabeth and I broke them apart and sent them off on their way. Annabeth looked around my room and whistled.

"Wow, Seaweed Brain! You kept your room tidy for once, I am impressed." she said with a tinge of pride in her voice.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a complete slob, you know." I said as I pulled her in for a hug. I rested my arms on her lower back and she wrapped her around my neck and we looked into each others eyes.

"What's wrong Percy?" she asked me with concern.

I sighed. Leave it to her to know I was feeling uneasy.

"I am just really worried about this. I want everything to go well, but I am afraid that I will mess up. I don't want your parents to hate me and stuff." I said nervously, as I ran my fingers through her silky golden hair.

She sighed and took my face in her hands, so that I was forced to stare into her stormy, intimidating gray eyes. "Listen to me. My parents will love you. You're sweet, caring, funny, and awesome, so don't worry about it. Just enjoy yourself!" she said softly but seriously.

"Thanks Annabeth. I'll do my best to avoid acting like a Seaweed Brain around your parents." I said equally as softly and Annabeth giggled.

"Percy! Annabeth! Food is ready!" I heard my mother call from the living room.

Annabeth and I untangled ourselves and made our way to the kitchen. My parents and Annabeth's parents were already seated, so Annabeth and I sat next to each other. We were quickly lost in the plethora of food that my mother had prepared. The night zipped by quickly as the atmosphere of my home brightened with sounds of laughter and merriment. My parents and Annabeth's got along famously, as though they had known each other for years.

"So Percy, how's school treating you? I hear that you are quite the swimmer from Annabeth." Mr. Chase asked with a smile, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"School's going great this year; Annabeth's been helping me out a ton. As for swimming, we have won all our meets and I broke the National Record at Sections this year, however my goal is to win Nationals. That's the only thing that's on my mind right now." I said earnestly, surprised at how it easy it was to open up to her parents.

He gave me a smile, "You seem like quite a driven young man, Percy. You remind me of myself when I was your age." he mused.

"Dear, I highly doubt that you were breaking National Swimming records when you were 'his age'" said her step-mom, drawing air quotes with her fingers.

Mr. Chase's face transformed into one of mock indignance and everyone laughed.

"Your boys are very well behaved, Frederick. When Percy was their age, he would get himself into all sorts of trouble." said my mother politely and I rolled my eyes.

"Haha, I think they're too full to engage in their usual shenanigans after they had your delicious food Sally! You should see these little devils at home, absolute chaos I tell you." Mr. Chase said with a knowing smile and as the rest of us burst out laughing, Bobby and Matthew looked around indolently.

"How about some dessert?" asked my mother and the entire table cheered.

We all stood up and waited for my mother to scoop out the ice cream on top of her amazing blue cookies. If Annabeth's parents were confused by the odd coloration of the cookies, they didn't let on.

Annabeth and I shuffled forwards as Bobby and Matthew finally finished heaping on ice cream. Mr. Chase and Paul shot me a secret smile and I frowned. Then Mr. Chase pointed above my head and I followed his finger. Looking up at the mistletoe, I was absolutely mortified. I looked at my mom for help, but she was busy scooping the ice cream for everyone.

"Come on Percy, Christmas tradition." Mr. Chase chided and Annabeth turned in confusion. When she spotted the mistletoe, she went crimson as well.

"Dad!" she muttered angrily, and fought back a laugh.

Mrs. Chase accompanied him and looked at us in amusement.

"Annabeth dear, we're not letting you leave till you give your boyfriend a kiss." she said with a mischievous smile. I cleared my throat and turned towards her as she did the same.

"Let's get this over with." I mumbled and Annabeth nodded grumpily.

We leaned in and kissed each other quickly, but not before I could hear the faint sound of an iPhone camera click. We broke away and stared at Paul who had whipped his phone out.

"Paul!" "Mr. Blofis!" Annabeth and I fumed angrily as the adults burst out laughing. Annabeth and I quickly got our ice cream and cookies and sped away to my room for some privacy.

"Well, that was awkward." Annabeth muttered under her breath and I nodded in silent agreement as we entered my room.

Annabeth and I plopped onto my bed, holding bowls with her famous blue cookies topped with ice cream. I opted for blueberry and Annabeth went with Cookies and Cream. We happily tore away at our respective bowls, enjoying ourselves enormously. Annabeth finished her ice cream and laid down on my bed, sighing in contentment and I laughed. She looked up at me insolently.

"You got something to say Seaweed Brain?" she asked me with a baleful glare.

I smirked as an idea formed in my head. "As a matter of fact, I do. Close your eyes." I said and Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"In your dreams Seaweed Brain." she scoffed.

"Annabeth, just do it." I said sternly and she rolled her eyes again before complying.

I quickly padded over to my closet, retrieving Annabeth's surprise.

* * *

**Annabeth's POV:**

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!" called out Percy brightly after he led me towards his mirror.

I opened my eyes hesitantly, letting my eyes adjust quickly to the light. I gasped as I looked in the mirror. Percy had managed to slip on the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen, on my neck, without me noticing! It was a silver necklace with inlaid diamonds, and at the center was an owl with emerald eyes.

"Percy, it's so beautiful!" I whispered and he smiled behind me. He gently wrapped his arms around my waist and stared at out reflections in the mirror, his eyes glowing brightly.

"Open it." he said into my hair and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and then I understood that he was talking about the owl. I fumbled around looking for the tell-tale bump that would betray the location of the switch. I found it and clicked it open and I stood speechless looking down at the picture. It was a picture of Percy and I, during our vacation in Montauk, on our last day there.

We were both standing on the beach and we were holding each other lovingly, my head resting on Percy's chest and he was kissing my hair with his eyes closed.

"Percy... I love it. Thank you so much." I whispered as I turned to face him. Percy looked down at me fondly and I stood on my tip-toes to give him a light kiss. When I broke away, I wore a secret smile and Percy frowned.

"That reminds me... I got a little something for you too." I said mischievously and Percy's frown deepened. I dragged him out of his room and we made our way out of his apartment, heading outside. When we approached my dads car, I opened the trunk and retrieved a small, simple, pale green box, wrapped in a royal blue bow.

"Here you are!" I said brightly, handing him the box.

He looked at me quizzically, and he began removing the bow. I watched him nervously, as he struggled to open the box. When he finally did, I saw the breath leave his body, as it materialized in the cold winter air.

"Annabeth... You shouldn't have." he whispered and I grinned back him.

"Put it on!" I said brightly and Percy retrieved the watch. It was a Rolex Submarine Date, their swimming watch. It was silver with a golden stripe running down the center. The dial was blue with gold numbers, and Rolex's signature quartz and diamond inlays. Percy slipped it on reverently and flashed me his trademark lopsided smile.

"It fits perfectly." he whispered.

"Turn it over." I said, nudging him gently.

He slowly slipped it off and turned the watch over and I watched as his expression transformed into such a loving, gentle look that my heart melted. He wore a faint smile, but I could see the love shining in his eyes.

_I love you with all my heart Seaweed Brain... - Your Wise Girl_. That's what the inscription read, and I was relieved that he liked it.

I felt myself blush and my throat dried out. He turned to me, his eyes gorgeous green eyes, glistening luminescently in the darkness. I didn't notice it before, but it looked like there were small gold flakes in there too.

_Just when I thought they wouldn't get anymore gorgeous - they're absolutely perfect. _I thought to myself.

I didn't realize how close I was too him, until it was too late. Instead of breaking away in embarrassment like I would have a few months ago, I just leaned in and kissed him lovingly. Percy held onto my waist gently and returned my kiss as well.

When we stopped, we still held each other when he pulled me in for a hug and picked me up, spinning me around. I giggled and when he set me down he looked me in the eyes and spoke softly, but lovingly.

"Best Christmas present ever. Thanks Annabeth." he whispered and I blushed.

"You better not be late to class anymore. You don't have an excuse anymore!" I stammered and Percy chuckled, holding out his arm. I locked mine in his and we made our way to his apartment, as it snow began to fall gently from the sky.

* * *

**Percy's POV:**

It was nice to say that everything had gone perfectly for once in my life... The dinner was a hit. Annabeth's parents loved my parents, and they approved of me as well. I felt like cheering and punching the air in triumph, but I restrained myself.

Annabeth's parents had given my parents a new mixer, hence the giant package. They stayed awhile longer as they talked happily with my parents. Bobby and Matthew had fallen asleep after eating their desserts, chocolate from the cookies smeared on their faces. They were holding their stomachs which had enlarged slightly after they had finished eating. Annabeth and I just sat in the living room, our hands clasped in each others, as our parents talked into the night. Occasionally we would steal loving glances at each other, and everytime I looked at her, it was like she was growing more beautiful and radiant.

The time finally came for them to leave and they collected their belongings. slung Bobby and Matthew over his shoulders after he put his coat and loafers on. Mrs. Chase finished noting down my mother's recipe for mashed potatoes and got her things ready as well.

"We had a great time Sally. The food was delicious." said Annabeth's step-mom earnestly and my mother blushed.

"Anytime! It was a pleasure having you all over." said my mother happily.

Paul and Mr. Chase shook hands, and before he left, he turned to me and clapped me on the back.

"I see that Annabeth has done well by you, son. It was wonderful to meet you." he said, his eyes twinkling brightly, and my throat dried out.

"Of-f, of course, sir. Thank you! It was wonderful seeing you again." I stammered, doing my best to be polite.

He laughed good naturedly, his wife smiled, and Annabeth looked she was struggling, and failing, to contain a laugh. I shot her a look of exasperation, but she just laughed harder. After we all waved and said our good byes for the umpteenth time, the Chases made their way to their rental car and my mother closed the door.

"Well that went well!" Paul beamed, pulling my mother close to him.

"The food was excellent, like always, Sally!" he said brightly, and my mother smiled. I smiled looking at the pair of them.

"See Percy, nothing to be worried about!" said Paul lightly and I laughed, running my hand through my hair.

"Yeah, I guess not." I agreed.

I went away to my room and slipped out of my clothes, changing into my pajama's. As I flopped onto my bed, I reflected upon how perfectly the day had gone and I fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**Annabeth's POV:**

My dad fumbled with the key, trying to swipe it to let us into our hotel room, but he was failing miserably. My step-mom grabbed the card from him and swiped it, letting us enter the room.

"Seriously Frederick?" she muttered and my dad gave me a knowing wink, as though that had been his plan all along.

We walked in and put our things away, going into our respective rooms to change. My dad deposited my still sleeping brothers, Bobby and Matthew, in their rooms. I walked into my room, slipped on my camp T-shirt and a pair of gray pajamas, and let my hair down messily. I sank into my bed and toyed with my new necklace, wearing a content smile on my face. I frowned when I felt scratches on the back of my locket.

_Crap! I scratched it already?! _I thought incredulously, and I turned it over to investigate the damage.

Instantly, my frown vanished and was replaced with a huge smile.

I read over the engraving repeatedly before smiling and falling to sleep. The last thought before I went to sleep was of Percy, his gift, and what he had wrote.

_To the most perfect and beautiful girl in the world, the underworld, or Olympus - Love, your Seaweed Brain._

* * *

**A/N:** **Dinner with the Chase family! I hope you all enjoyed it! This one won out according to the reviews you all sent in. I am sorry if I didn't do the chapter justice. I am not the best at writing conversations. I prefer to let the events do the talking. I will be writing the Ellis Island Chapter too, sometime later since it doesn't make sense right now, and also because next chapter is the dance! So I am sure that you all are looking forward to that! It'll be great! **

**Oh, I am thinking of starting up a new story. I'll give you a brief rundown and you can send in your thoughts in a review for this chapter. The premise is kind of cliche, but I managed to make this story original so I promise to do it again. It's basically a story about Percy and Annabeth being childhood friends, Percy moves, and then comes back. I know, I know: pretty cliche, but hey! You can't beat the classics, man! I will also be viciously ripping on Luke as well in this new series. Anyhow, let me know what you think! If you have any cool series ideas send them my way too!**

**Before I forget: Thank you for the review explosion that recently happened! I was worried that I had plateaued because no one reviewed for a few days but then BAM! I had a ton of reviews in one day, so thanks for that. As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

* * *

**Trivia Challenge Returns!**

**I don't even remember what the last question was, and I am too lazy to go look now. Trivia questions are going to make a reappearance since you all seem to be enjoying them. Same deal as last time: First two readers to PM (That's the key word there) me with the right answers get to dream up their own reward (other than having their own OC's). Here's this chapters question: **

**"Name this famous Ancient Greek citadel, that was hailed by Homer as '_the strong-built house of Erechtheus'". _**

**Not very difficult, I know. Just to make sure that everyone knows, you are allowed to use the internet. Some of you (bless your hearts) think that this is somehow a form of cheating, but that misses the point. My purpose in formulating these questions is to provide an incentive for you all to learn more about Greek Mythology as well as to provide an avenue for me to interact with you all. Don't hesitate to use the internet - I'd rather have you learn something new, then sit there idly for fear of cheating. I honestly don't mind, and if it were humanly possible for me to grant all of your requests or write custom tailored stories for each one of you, I would. Sorry for the rant and good luck!**


	28. The Winter Ball - Part 1

**The Winter Ball - Part 1**

**Percy's POV:**

As the limo Nate had rented for us pulled up in Annabeth's driveway, I hesitantly got out and Nate did so as well. I was nervously fidgeting with my tie and Nate clapped my back.

"Dude, you look fine - stop stressing so much, you'll put her off." he said with a joking smile and I nodded tersely, trying my hardest to relax.

"You think so?" I asked breathlessly as we made our way over to Annabeth's hotel room. Her parents were in New York until New Year's Eve, so she was staying in a hotel with them. Nate and I made our way through the revolving door and took the elevator up to her floor. The entire ride up, I toyed nervously with my tie and my hands felt clammy and sweaty. Nate was my polar opposite - he was as calm as a cucumber, but then again, I don't think that it is biologically possible for him to feel nervous.

We stepped out onto the plush red carpet that adorned the hallway, and we made our way towards Annabeth's suite. She told me that she was in one of those executive suites with everything you could ever ask for. Apparently it was big enough to house a staircase, which I thought was strange.

When we made it to her door, I stood there for a second trying to collect my thoughts. A sheen of sweat formed around my forehead and I looked at the door in terror. Nate gave me a sympathetic smile and knocked on the door for me. A few seconds later, Mr. Chase opened the door and beamed at me.

"Percy, my boy! It's good to see you again! Annabeth will be down in a minute." he said embracing me and then flashing me a huge smile.

I nodded tersely and squirmed uncomfortably, waiting for Annabeth to walk down. I ran my fingers up and down my green tie, trying to smooth out any wrinkles.

_What if I make a complete fool out of myself? I have no idea what to do at dances. Is this going to be awkward? _I thought to myself, a million nervous thoughts flying through my head.

I almost didn't notice Annabeth walking down the stairs.

Almost.

I looked up at her and every trace of anxiety evaporated from my body as I gaped at the goddess standing in front of me.

Annabeth was wearing a strapless, sea-green dress that gave off multiple different shades of green. The dress was low cut and conservative at the same time. I couldn't help thinking how perfect it was for her. Her hair had been let down so that it cascaded down her shoulders in glossy, golden ringlets. She was wearing some light blush and lip gloss, but there were traces of glitter near her eyes that made them look irresistible. Her skin glowed softly, yet radiantly. I stood there paralyzed at how gorgeous she looked.

_She's stunning. Absolutely perfect. _I thought.

She shot me a nervous smile, and I found myself walking over to her. I sweeped her off her feet and spun her in a circle. When I set her down, she giggled and beamed at me.

"You look absolutely gorgeous." I whispered down to her as lovingly as I could.

Her eyes softened and she caressed my cheek gently. "You look great too, Percy." she said softly and she leaned in an kissed me.

I swear I heard fireworks going off. Thousands of little volts of electricity snaked throughout my body and blood rushed to my face. I held her close to me, as tightly and gently as I could.

When we pulled away she turned to Nate and gave him a smile. He gave her a weak smile in return and waved awkwardly.

"Don't mind me. I'll just step outside until you both are ready to go." he said sheepishly.

"We're actually going to head out right now, let me just grab my coat and some shoes." Annabeth said and she let go of my hand.

She pulled on some nice flats and we walked out of her apartment, heading to the limousine parked outside.

* * *

**Nathaniel's POV:**

The limousine finally made it's way to Sarah's neighborhood and I could register the look of shock on Annabeth's face and the look of sympathy in Percy's. I felt slightly irritated, but I didn't say anything.

"Can you both just wait here for me?" I asked them, looking out of the window watching a small child playing with a ball.

"Sure." Percy said softly and Annabeth put her arm on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. I swallowed audibly, turned, and gave them both a grateful nod.

I stepped out of the limousine and made my way up to her apartment. I walked up to the second floor and stood for a second outside her doorstep, calming myself down. Quickly, I snaked my hand into my coat pocket and felt a small box, and I felt reassured.

When I steeled my nerves, I knocked as confidently as I could and held my breath in anticipation. The door opened hesitantly and a man came into view. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties, but some part of me told me that he was older than that. He had a brown beard and curly brown hair, but his clothes were raggedy and he looked incredibly malnourished and sleep deprived.

"Mr. Madison? Is Sarah there?" I asked him inquisitively.

"Yes... Who are you?" he asked me suspiciously.

"Oh, she didn't tell you? I am a friend of hers from school. I am here to pick her up for a school dance." I said lightly, and his eyebrows furrowed.

His blue eyes looked identical to Sarah's, only more worried and tired. He looked me over and then he opened the door completely as though he had deemed me worthy.

"Come on in. She's in her room. First door on the right." he said, gesturing towards her room.

I stepped in hesitantly and took off my shoes. The apartment was kind of depressing; there was peeling faded brown wallpaper, a small kitchen trying to hide itself in the corner, a room to the left which I presumed to be a bedroom, and Sarah's room, and a bathroom opposite to hers. The carpet was old and frayed from years of use. The sight didn't bother me and I didn't judge or pity her. Some people weren't as lucky as others, it was just unfair that Sarah was _this_ unlucky.

I padded over to her room and noticed that it was slightly ajar. Before I could stop myself, I peered into the room trying to catch a glimpse of her, but all I could see was the wall, illuminated by a dim lightbulb. After swallowing nervously, I lightly knocked on her door.

"Come in." I heard her call from inside her room.

I slowly opened the door and walked inside. The room was sparsely decorated and it reminded me of my own room. There was a small bed, an ancient looking bedside table, and a small dresser complete with a mirror. Sarah was sitting on a chair, facing the mirror, studying her appearance. The chair was obscuring her dress, so I couldn't really see it. I walked over quietly, hoping to surprise her. I put a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't turn around or look up - she just looked down at her lap.

"Dad, it's alright. I don't think that he's going to show, and I don't blame him. I was stupid for getting my hopes up. I'll get out of my dress in a minute." she mumbled, her voice filled with disappointment and I felt like my heart was being torn in two.

My face fell instantly, and my eyes clouded over in concern.

_She... she didn't think I was going to come? _I thought sadly.

I wish Sarah trusted me more and had a little more self confidence. She was amazing, but she acted like she didn't know that. I think that after years of being constantly bullied about being poor, she might have developed some self-esteem issues.

_I'm going to help her. I promise that I'll open her eyes and show her how great she is. _I thought to myself resolutely and I cleared my throat.

"What's that about not coming, Princess?" I said teasingly, standing behind her.

Her face brightened instantly and she turned around wearing a huge grin.

"Nathaniel, you came!" she said happily.

"Of course I did. I don't go back on my word, you know." I said wearing a matching grin.

She stood up quickly and gave me a quick hug. When she broke away, I held her lightly and studied her. My jaw dropped. She was wearing an amazing black dress that looked like it was made out of feathers. It looked absolutely gorgeous on her. She wasn't wearing any make up, but she looked ridiculously amazing without it anyways. Her caramel brown hair looked glossy and cascaded gently down her shoulders, and her beautiful royal blue eyes shone with happiness.

After I collected myself I managed to stammer, "You look amazing Sarah."

She blushed furiously and punched me lightly on the arm. "You look great too, Nathaniel." she said as she ruffled my hair gently.

I frowned slightly and she laughed at my expression which in turn caused me to smile.

"I got you something." I said with a grin, pulling a little parcel from the confines of my jacket.

Sarah's face lit up in surprise as she watched me hand her a small black parcel. She slowly accepted it and opened the box equally as slowly. I bit my lip in anticipation, hoping - no, praying that she would like it.

* * *

**Sarah's POV:**

I slowly opened the box with trembling fingers. What I saw inside made me catch my breath. It was a silver necklace with a small half heart hanging from the center. I picked it up gingerly, my eyes wide open with surprise.

"Merry Christmas!" Nathaniel said with a nervous smile on his face.

"Nathaniel, it's beautiful, but what is it exactly?" I asked him reverently.

His face broke out into a grin. He took the necklace out and gently slipped it around my neck, and I closed my eyes, shivering at the metal's cool touch. He leaned in close and whispered softly in my ear.

"It's a locket shaped like half a heart. You see, I have one too." he said, holding his up from his shirt.

I looked at him in puzzlement and he continued.

"Watch." he said, and he slowly brought his half to mine and I gasped when they fit together perfectly. He gave me a small smile, and then he hit a small button at the top of the locket.

The locket sprung open smoothly and I squinted, looking at the picture inside.

It was a picture of Nate and I at Times Square, one of the days we were hanging out during break. I remembered it like it was yesterday...

_Nathaniel and I were walking around Times Square, wandering in and out of the shops and talking happily with one another. It was the day after we went on our little shopping spree at the Armani Exchange. The November air was crisp and chilly. I dragged Nate around the square as we looked at the stores, my hand wrapped lightly around his. He took a second to adjust his favorite purple scarf and then followed me, a small smile tugging away at his lips. _

_"Ooh, you know what? We should take a picture!" I said excitedly._

_"Yeah, sure, sounds like a plan." he said with a grin. _

_We stopped in front a store and Nathaniel pulled his iPhone out. _

_"Okay, all we need to do is find someone to take the picture for us." he said, looking around for someone that could help us. _

_I nodded and assisted him on his search. Suddenly, a young boy walked in front of us, he couldn't have been more than 5 years old. He had brown hair, hazel eyes, and looked absolutely adorable._

_"Do you want to take a picture with your girlfriend, mister?" he asked with a toothy grin._

_I felt my face grow hot and I stammered, "We're not dating." _

_I turned to look at Nathaniel. He was blushing equally as furiously, but I noticed that his face slightly fell when he heard me say that. _

_"Yeah, we're just good friends." he said coolly, but I heard a tinge of sadness in his voice._

_"Whatever. You still want the picture?" asked the little five year old._

_"Umm, yeah sure, but aren't you a little young to take pictures?" asked Nate hesitantly._

_The little boy shrugged. "I don't really care, you just aren't going to have picture then." he said matter-of-factly and I rolled my eyes._

_"Fine, but you better not run off with my phone." Nate warned him teasingly._

_The boy rolled his eyes. "I already have one, duh!" he said condescendingly, and Nate looked at me with merriment in his eyes and I cracked a small smile._

_Nate walked up to me and we stood next to each other awkwardly and smiled. The boy looked up from Nate's iPhone with a frown on his face._

_"I know that you aren't dating, but you should at least look happy standing next to each other!" he said, his eyebrows furrowing._

_I looked up at Nate with a flustered expression and he raised his eyebrows asking me silently if he should go strangle the kid. I sighed and wrapped my arm around him. I felt my face burn and my arm felt tingly. His pupils dilated slightly and he wore a dopey smile that made me smile. He reoriented himself and wrapped an arm around my shoulder as well. _

_"That better for you, Master Photographer Sir?" Nate asked sarcastically, but the boy nodded vigorously, oblivious to the tone of his voice. A few seconds later the kid took the picture and he handed Nate his phone back, a toothy grin on his face. Nate raised his eyebrows and unlocked the phone to study the kid's work._

_Nate's pupils dilated slightly and I frowned as I walked over to him, craning over him to see the picture. It was perfect - the sun was setting so the buildings looked like they were dipped in gold, and we looked pretty good standing next to each other. I had a shy smile on my face and he wore a dopey one; both of us looked happy. I think that was the first time I had seen Nate look truly happy, and it made him look even better if that was somehow possible. _

_When we both looked up to thank the boy, but he disappeared without a trace..._

Looking at the locket now, the memory came rushing back to me. In his half was the half of the picture that I was in, and in mine was him. When the lockets were brought together, it looked like we were hugging each other, taking the picture.

"Nate, this is amazing! Thank you so much." I whispered in awe.

Nate ruffled his hair slightly and wore a shy smile on his face. "You really like it?" he asked cautiously, but I could detect a tinge of pride in his voice.

"Of course I do." I said confidently and I leaned up to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

Nate looked like his brain had melted and he wore an inane smile; it took him a second to recover. I giggled at how much I could affect him by just kissing him. Then my face fell slightly.

"Nate, I am sorry, I didn't get you anything." I said quietly, my voice filled with guilt.

Nate's dopey smile vanished and was replaced by a soft, tender look. He cupped my face gently and forced me to look into his mesmerizing kaleidoscope eyes.

"You have already given me my gift." he whispered quietly.

I frowned and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I haven't given you anything." I said doubtfully.

"Yes you have. You agreed to be my girlfriend; being with you is the best thing that has ever happened to me." he murmured, his eyes glowing with love.

My eyes opened wide and began to water. Then I threw myself at him, giving him a crushing hug, sobbing quietly into his shoulder. I couldn't help noticing how perfectly my face fit into the nook between his shoulder and neck. He looked taken aback, and then he hugged me equally as tightly, and he rubbed small circles on my lower back.

"There, there Princess, don't cry." he said softly and I felt myself calming down and I instantly felt self-conscious.

I dried my tears and sniffled. "I'm sorry for being so emotional. It's just that that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." I whispered into his ear.

Nate broke away and held me looking into my eyes. "Well Princess, you're going to have to get used to it." he said seriously, a huge grin on his face.

I smiled weakly and kissed him lightly, on the lips this time. It felt as amazing as it did the first time - just as innocent, sweet, and tender. My brain went crazy, my heart did flips, and it felt like electricity was coursing through my veins.

When we pulled away, Nate gave me a heart melting smile and he took my hand. "We better get going Princess, Percy and Annabeth are probably tired of waiting for us."

I nodded and then frowned slightly. "Why do you call me that?" I asked as we walked out of my room and slipped on our shoes.

"Call you what?" he asked casually.

"Princess - why do you call me that?" I asked him again inquisitively.

Nate blushed furiously. "Umm, that's the first word that popped into my head the first time I saw you. I know, it's kind of cheesy, but I swear I am telling you the truth." he said honestly and my heart filled up with longing for his boy.

"Nathaniel Sawyer, you are going to spoil me rotten." I said teasingly and he smirked at me as he slipped on his jacket and I grabbed my clutch.*

"Like I said, you better get used to it Princess." he said with a devilish grin as he led me outside.

* * *

**A/N: Read the next chapter, it will be an A/N chock full of important information, plot line updates, surprises, and more! **

**I am sorry if the chapter was kind of repetitive, I hope there were enough differences to satisfy you all!**

**Question: ****Nate's nickname for Sarah - cute or not? I like it.**

**As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

***It's one of those little purse thingies girls bring to dances. They like clasp together and stuff. I honestly have no idea what they're called.**


	29. The Winter Ball - Part 2

**The Winter Ball - Part 2**

**Annabeth's POV:**

The four of us stepped out of the limo and made our way to the school. As we made our way to the gym we made small talk.

"Nice dress Sarah." Percy said and she grinned in response.

"Thanks! Did you both coordinate the matching thing?" Sarah asked in response. She was talking about my dress and Percy's tie.

Both Percy and I blushed. I was the first to recover so I answered first. "No, it was just a coincidence."

Nate and Sarah exchanged looks and smirked. Then they held hands and looked at each other lovingly. Nate had a smile on his face and Sarah looked flustered. Percy and I laughed at their expressions and they gave us a confused look.

"Nothing." I said and Percy nodded in assent, wearing a slight smile.

I looked at him and we communicated with our eyes.

_Ah, young love. _I thought.

Percy grinned, _Yeah, they're completely obsessed with each other._

_You think that we were ever like that? _I asked in response.

Percy furrowed his eyebrows and looked like he was deep in thought. _Don't know, maybe? _he shrugged his shoulders.

I thought about it too. I desperately hoped we didn't act like that in public but some part of me knew that it was true.

We finally made it to the gym and it was already packed with kids. The lights were dimmed and there was a spot light shining on the section of the gym that was being used as an impromptu dance floor. Despite all of the weird things that I had heard about high school dances being vulgar, this one wasn't too bad. All the kids conducted themselves respectfully and only swayed to the music as opposed to grinding and whatnot.

Streamers hung from the walls of the gym and I was pretty impressed that they managed to make the gym somewhat pretty. There was a table with punch some distance away. The four of us looked at each other nervously - this wasn't exactly our element. Finally, we shuffled our way to the dance floor and made our way into the crowd.

Percy took my hand and we performed a psuedo-waltz. I wrapped my free arm around the side of his torso and he wrapped his other around my waist. We slowly began to sway to the music and I was thankful for my brief dance exposure from back at Montauk. I didn't move around clumsily and we actually managed to do pretty well.

Percy raised his eyebrow in surprise, "Getting the hang of it now, Wise Girl?" he asked with a grin on his face.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, it's not that hard. We just repeat the same pattern over and over again. Nothing I can't handle." I said cheekily and Percy rolled his eyes.

Then Percy lifted his head up and grinned. He nodded over behind me so I turned to look. It was Nate and Sarah. They were dancing so fluidly it looked like they were professional dancers. They moved in time with one another and looked completely at ease. They both wore happy, care free expressions, something that I had never seen either of them wearing. Nate laughed and I smiled.

"It looks like they're good for each other." I said with a satisfied smile and Percy nodded.

"They make it look easy. Well, then again, Sarah is a ballet dancer." Percy said shaking his head.

"Hey! We make it look easy too!" I protested and he chuckled.

"That's for sure." he said, beaming down at me.

I blushed and punched him on the arm lightly. We continued to dance and the hours blurred by as I was sucked into the night, and dancing with Percy.

* * *

**Nathaniel's POV:**

"Wow, not bad Sawyer." Sarah said teasingly and I stuck out my tongue.

"Where'd you learn to dance like that?" she asked me and I thought about it.

"Back when I lived in Florida, my best friend was a ballet dancer, so she taught me some moves." I said truthfully, thinking about Kirsten's "lessons".

I smiled at the memory. When she had discovered that I couldn't dance whatsoever in the 9th grade, she took me under her wing and taught me how to dance. She would always get exasperated with me because I could never keep up with her, but she was determined to make me a good dancer.

I remember she would always say, "_No best friend of mine can go without learning how to waltz!_"

"What're you thinking about?" asked Sarah, looking up at me.

I shook my head. "It's nothing, just thinking about my friend giving me dance lessons." I said.

"She must have been an amazing dancer." Sarah said quietly.

"Yeah, she was. One of the best I have ever seen." I said honestly.

Then I looked down at Sarah. "You kind of remind me of her. You're both spectacular dancers." I said with a smile and then she blushed.

"Thanks" she mumbled shyly. I smiled and pulled her in close. She let out a little squeak and I laughed. At first she looked embarrassed but then she looked happy. She wrapped her arms tightly around my torso and lightly held onto her waist. We swayed lightly to the music which was a welcome change from the crazy antics that we were pulling earlier - pirouetting, jumping, and whatnot.

I felt so ridiculously happy that I couldn't help but smile. It was disconcerting to think about, and was completely illogical.

_Maybe that's the point - Happiness doesn't need to have a reason. It just is... _I mused silently.

Sarah's hair bobbed lightly up and down, and it looked absolutely adorable. It smelled like crushed winter berries and I found the scent oddly calming. I looked over Sarah's shoulder and paled.

A woman was standing behind the punch bowl, her arms crossed, and she was staring at me with a faint smirk on her face. She was wearing a long golden gown that looked like something an actress would wear to the Oscars. As always, her face evolved, trying desperately to become more beautiful.

_Aphrodite. _

* * *

**Sarah's POV:**

"Nate... Is everything alright?" I asked with concern. He had gone pale, his eyes were dilated and crimson like they always got when he was angry. Only... He didn't look angry. For the first time in my life, I had seen Nathaniel Sawyer... looking scared. It was absolutely terrifying and I felt a shiver run down my spine. His hand on my waist was shaking and he was holding me so tightly I winced.

Nate looked down at me in concern after he heard me wince. "Sarah! Are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.

"I'm fine, but really, what's wrong?" I asked him.

He looked at me for a long while and then he looked back up, over my shoulder. When he spoke, it was as though he was struggling to keep it level.

"Everything's fine. I have to go check on something. I'll be right back and no matter what, don't follow me." he said firmly.

I was shocked but I trusted him. "Alright. I'll wait here for you then." I mumbled.

He looked down at me and gave me a slight smile that I think was supposed to be reassuring, but his eyes betrayed fear. He gave me a quick hug and then he walked away. I stood at the dance floor and sighed, watching everybody else dancing to the music.

* * *

**Nathaniel's POV:**

I made my way over to the punch table, wrestling with anger and fear. A million thoughts flew through my head.

_Why is she here? What could she want with me? Is she going to try something here? _I thought to myself in worry, and I grit my teeth.

As I walked up to her, her face changed even more quickly. For some reason, I lost my fear and felt something strange: pity. It was as though she tried to be perfect, but she couldn't and so she stripped away her physical appearance for the sake of appeasing others. She might act confident, but I realized that she was probably the most insecure goddess. I felt sorry for her.

I froze when her face changed to Kirsten's and then she smirked at me. Sweat rolled down my arms and my fingers felt frozen.

"Like my new look?" she asked haughtily.

My hands trembled in rage.

_How dare she use Kirsten against me?! She killed her, she killed the only person that I have ever fallen in love with. _I thought in fury.

"What are you doing here?" I growled and she smirked.

"Ooh, scary." she said as she stalked towards me. I flinched involuntarily, thinking of the last time we met.

"Relax, I'm not going to bite." she said lightly into my ear. I froze and my blood ran cold.

"I just dropped by to tell you that I have been feeling gracious. I am feeling in the mood for poetic justice, so I extended your deadline to June 27th." she said with a coy smile.

My pupils dilated and I realized what she was talking about.

"Yes, I have decided to kill you on the same day I killed your girlfriend." she said with a malevolent grin.

I spun around in anger and she laughed. "What're you going to do? Hurt me? I'm a goddess and you're nothing." she spat at me.

I clenched and unclenched my fists in rage, but I knew she was right.

"You know, I think it's time for me to start messing with your new girlfriend. Starting tonight." she said with a mischievous smile and she disappeared suddenly.

My mind was racing. What did she mean when she said that? Then my heart skipped a beat.

_Sarah._

* * *

**Sarah's POV:**

After Nathaniel left, I stood around awkwardly waiting for him to come back. I wrapped my arms around each other and clasped them in front of me. Then I heard someone walk up behind me.

"If it isn't Madam Poverty, we haven't talked in a long while." I heard behind me and my heart sank like a stone. I knew that voice.

"Amy." I said simply and turned to face her.

It took me all of two seconds to realize she was drunk. Her hair was disheveled, her cheeks were rosy, her eyes were glazed over, and she reeked of alcohol.

She saw me look over at the punch bowl as I tried to find Nate. "You better take all the punch home if you want anything to drink. Come to think of it, you should take the bowl and the table too. You'll have some possessions for once." she sneered at me and I glared at her.

"For your information, I was looking for my date. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go try and find him." I said politely, obviously lying. I just wanted to get away from her, and Nate had made me promise not to follow him.

I walked past her and she grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my flesh. "This isn't over you freaky bitch." she sneered and I slapped her arm off and walked quickly away.

"That's right, go home and cry to your worthless little daddy. No one loves you, you freak!" she shrieked behind me and I grit my teeth as I walked out of the gymnasium and headed for the roof.

I sat there and cried for a while, trying to ignore what she had said. I never understood why she hated me so much. Maybe it was because I was an easy target since I never fought back. She had left me alone for a while, occassionally jabbing at me, but nothing as serious as this. I wiped my tears and decided to find Nate.

I walked down the stairs and was about to walk into the gym when I noticed two students kissing each other passionately. I rolled my eyes and was about to walk in when I noticed a silver glint. I turned in confusion and studied it more carefully. It looked like a locket... With half a heart. I froze in place as I saw Nathaniel Sawyer passionately making out with Amy. His hands were at his sides and he was backed against the lockers, but she was ravenously attacking his mouth, running one of her hands along his chest and her other was grasping at his hair.

The tears came instantly and Nathaniel looked at me with a horrified expression. He pulled Amy off of him and began to speak. I was already running away. I didn't want to hear him explain himself. I knew that he could beguile me with words alone, and I would probably forget why I was mad at him if he started talking. My vision blurred and I rushed outside, a rush of cold winter air greeted me.

I held onto a railing and sobbed quietly.

_How could I have been so stupid? No one would ever fall in love with me. Nate was just using me. He didn't ever have feelings for me. Why does this hurt so much? I should have seen this coming. I am nothing. I don't deserve to be loved. I don't deserve it..._

* * *

**A/N: Don't hate me for the ending, I promise it gets better. Not every relationship is perfect and there are bound to be bumps along the way. This was necessary to further the plot. This is Aphrodite's first challenge - Can Sarah ever trust Nate after what she had seen? Will her self esteem completely collapse? **

**Sorry for not updating sooner. I have been bogged down this entire week. I was going to do an AN chapter to explain myself, but the short of it is: I was busy and I had an extreme case of writer's block. **

**Don't think I mentioned this, but the first chapter of my new story is out! It would mean a lot to me if you could give it a read. It's a lot more plot driven than this story, so I think you all will enjoy it. **

**All the dance chapters will be out by Monday. There are two reasons for this: 1. I wanted to make up for not updating AND 2. I am going on a cruise this next weekend in the Caribbean! My family and my three closest friends and their families are all going to Florida to spend a few days there and then we are going on the cruise. I am ridiculously excited. What this means for you all is that I obviously won't be posting at all next week. I get back next Monday, so hopefully these three chapters should compensate.**

******Thanks for all the reviews. **As always: Follow, Favorite, Review!

**Side Note: Two movies I recently watched and loved - "It's Kind of a Funny Story" and "Blue Lagoon: The Awakening". The latter of which has two main characters that look exactly like how I picture Percy and Annabeth. Indiana Evans, who plays Emmaline, is a dead ringer for my mental image of Annabeth both physically and personality wise. Watch both of them if you are into romance. Warning: The latter movie has lemons.**


	30. The Winter Ball - That's All

**The Winter Ball - That's All**

**Nathaniel's POV:**

I raced to find Sarah after Aphrodite disappeared. I had a horrible feeling inside my gut that she was in danger. As I ran frantically throughout the gym, I couldn't catch a glimpse of her. My heart sank.

_Did Aphrodite get to her before I did? _I thought in worry, my heart pounding.

Sarah was nowhere to be found. I walked out of the gym and stuffed my hands in my pockets. Suddenly, I kicked the lockers beside me and groaned in exasperation.

_Where in the world is she?_ I thought in frustration.

Then out of the blue, a thought came unbidden into my head.

_The roof!_ I was ready to race away when I heard footsteps behind me and I was crushed into the lockers.

* * *

**Amy's POV:**

After Sarah left, I grimaced and took a swig out of my beer bottle. I was miserable and alone. My step mother went a little too far tonight, and I needed to get away. I stole one of her beer bottles and drowned my sorrows in alcohol. I regretted lashing out at Sarah, but I couldn't help it. I wanted someone to feel my pain; I didn't want to suffer alone.

Then suddenly, I had an irresistible urge to go outside and my body began to move without my consent. My mind was washing over and I struggled to form cogent thoughts. I had gotten drunk before so I knew that this wasn't the work of alcohol. This was something else...

That was the last complete thought I had. My mind clouded with insatiable lust and for some reason, I wanted Nathaniel Sawyer. No. I _needed_ him, and nothing was going to get in my way. I found him standing outside and without controlling my body, I pulled him against a locker and kissed him.

He froze in shock, paralyzed and unable to move. His hands hung limply by his sides and his eyes opened wide in shock. He fought back, trying to push me off of him, but for some reason, my newfound strength made his efforts futile. I couldn't feel anything - my body moved with a mind of its own and I felt like an objective observer.

Then Nathaniel's eyes went even wider and he turned his head. Suddenly, I was returned control of my body and Nate pushed me off of him. I turned and saw Sarah running away.

"Sarah, wait! It's not what you think it is!" he called out, his voice filled with pain.

Nathaniel ran after her, leaving me alone and confused at the events that had just occurred.

* * *

**Nathaniel's POV:**

I ran after Sarah, my mind still struggling to process what had just happened. I felt so guilty and awful. How could I have done that to her? I was a monster. I tried to pull Amy off of me, but I couldn't. There was nothing I could do. The back of my mind told me that this was all Aphrodite's doing.

_I can't afford to lose her. She means the world to me. _I thought to myself angrily. A film of tears coated my eyes, blurring my vision.

Sarah walked out of the school and I stopped, looking through the doors windows. She held onto the railing a sobbed quietly, her body racked with pain. The sight tore my heart apart. I grit my teeth and felt incredible guilt and sadness.

I steeled my nerves and cautiously opened the door. The cold December air rushed towards me and froze the sweat on my brow. Sarah didn't pay me any attention and continued to cry. I walked up to her slowly, and gently put my hand on her shoulder as a comforting gesture.

She angrily swiped it away. I retracted my hand, feeling hurt.

"Sarah, let me explain. It's not what you think it is." I began, speaking as persuasively as I can.

"Don't." she spat out venomously.

I flinched. I had never seen her like this. She's always so kind and gentle, I could have never suspected that she would be so intimidating when she got angry. Come to think of it, I had never seen her angry.

"Just Don't. Keep your silver tongue in your mouth. I won't let you trick me into forgiving you." she said harshly, her voice filled with hurt.

I stood there shocked. I was losing the person I cared the most about. Again. Maybe Anteros was right. Maybe I am not meant to be loved. However, even if that was true, I wasn't going to give up on Sarah just yet. Not without a fight.

I was going to have to play this extremely carefully if I didn't want to lose her forever.

I walked around and sat on the railing besides her. I needed to gain her trust and to do that, I was going to have to reveal my biggest secret...

* * *

**Sarah's POV:**

Nate sat on the railing and cleared his throat. I was determined to ignore everything that he was going to tell me, but I was surprised with how he began.

"You know, back inside when we were dancing, and I told you that my best friend gave me dance lessons." he began, his voice solemn and deliberate.

I sniffled and rubbed my tears away, but they continued to fall unbidden. I didn't respond to him, but my mind was racing. I had no idea where this was going or how it pertained to what had just happened. I fixed my eyes on the horizon and stood in silence.

"Her name was Kirsten Richards and she was my best friend. Kirsten and I were inseparable ever since we were 8 years old. I would always get her into the worst sort of trouble, but I was always there to get her out of it. I remember there was this one time when we were young, and I convinced her to retrieve her mother's cookie jar, but it was hidden at the top of their refrigerator you see." he explained calmly.

"Kirsten climbed up her kitchen counter top and tried to reach the cookie jar, but it was just out of reach. She told me that she couldn't get it and I urged her to try harder. She tried one more time and suddenly, she lost her footing and fell down. In an instant, I broke her fall by flopping down right where she was about to fall. Needless to say, it hurt a lot when she fell on me, but I was so relieved that she wasn't hurt. She meant the world to me. This last summer, I finally found the courage to ask her out." he said fondly remembering the memory. His eyes were glazed over as though he was in a distant place, living the memory.

"She died in a car crash a few weeks later, after pushing me out of the way. She sacrificed herself for me, and I should have saved her. Every night, I see her die in my dreams. Every night, I wake up screaming to tell her to get away. Every night, I see her smile at me and I so desperately wish that we could have traded places. She meant everything to me, and I still can't believe that she's gone." he said bitterly, and his voice was filled with such unfathomable sadness.

My mind was racing, trying to process what he was telling me. I wanted to comfort him; he sounded so alone, hurt, and vulnerable. I resisted but my heart throbbed painfully in my chest, aching to help him.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked quietly, still looking at the horizon.

He cleared his throat before he spoke again. "I am telling you this because I have already lost the person I cared about the most once. I can't bear to lose her again." he said softly and I looked at him for the first time, his eyes glistened with tears in the darkness.

_He... He doesn't want to lose me? _I thought in confusion.

"I know you'll probably never forgive me, and you're probably right not to. However, I just wanted to say that I would never do anything to hurt you. This is probably too early in our relationship, but I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much, Sarah. More than you will ever know." he said honestly and my heart missed a beat.

_He loves me? Did he actually just say that? _I thought in awe, my eyes widening.

"I know it's sudden and all, but it's just that... It's just that I can't bear to be without you. You're the only person that can make me happy anymore. I feel so alive when I am with you, and so alone and lifeless without you. So I just want to apologize and I wish that you would give me another chance, even if I don't deserve it." he said, his voice raw and full of emotion.

My eyes widened and I stared at him, a flurry of emotions passing across my face. His face looked taut and worry ridden. I could tell that he was pouring his heart and soul into what he was saying. It was only a question of how I was going to respond.

"I can understand if you never want to see me again. I know that I don't deserve to be with someone like you anyways." he said weakly. He sounded so vulnerable and frail. I had never seen him like this.

_The cards are all on the table, huh? _I thought to myself.

_This is Nathaniel. He has just confessed his deepest, darkest secret and he has also professed his love for me. He doesn't have anything left to say or to give. _

That thought scared me. Nate was always shrouded in mystique and that was a major component of his allure. Now all the pieces of the puzzle were coming together, but I had absolutely no idea what the picture it had formed was.*

_Do I love him? _I asked myself and I instantly knew the answer.

Yes. I was hopelessly and madly in love with him.

He had always treated me with respect and kindness when someone of his stature could have easily done the opposite. He constantly tried to expose me to new experiences and he was always there to share them with me. He had always tried to make me happy, and I could never do anything in return. Deep down inside, I knew that he deserved another chance. I owed him that much for everything that he had done.

I stared at him on final time, and he looked at me hesitantly. He ran his hands through his hair and ruffled it, but his eyes looked pleadingly at me, begging me not to leave him.

_Even when he looks defeated, he still manages to look adorable. _I thought to myself dryly.

"Please... Say something." he plead, looking incredibly vulnerable.

"Nathaniel..." I murmured, and before I could stop myself, I flung myself at him and kissed him.

His eyes widened in surprise but then he closed his eyes and reciprocated, getting lost in the act. He rested my arm on her lower back and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I kissed him passionately and everything around me seemed to fade away into oblivion.

I broke away and gave him a bone crushing hug. I started crying again, but this time they were tears of happiness and relief.

"I-I thought that you abandoned me. I thought that I didn't mean anything to you and that you were just using me." I said into his chest.

"Sarah, don't you ever think that. Not for a single second. You mean everything to me and I would never hurt you." he said, running his hands through my hair in a comforting gesture.

"Then why did you kiss her?" I asked me, breaking away to look at him.

He sighed and then spoke honestly, looking straight into my eyes. "I didn't kiss her, she kissed me. I was trying to find you and then she grabbed me and shoved me against the lockers and began to kiss me. I went into shock and couldn't process anything that was happening. Then I tried to push her off but she wouldn't budge. It was only after you came that she got off of me." he said softly.

My lip trembled and tears poured out of my eyes.

_He... He wasn't cheating on me. Amy attacked him. That explains why he looked so surprised. It was because he was in shock. _I thought to myself.

Nate smiled at me fondly and then caressed my cheek with his hands. They were soft and incredibly warm. He ran his thumb along my jawline and it finally rested on my bottom lip, stopping its trembling. He closed his eyes and smiled warmly, beaming down at me. My eyes widened as I stared at him.

_He looks so... so happy. Is it really because of me? _I thought to myself in wonder.

I closed my eyes and leaned up and took his face in my hands as I kissed him. It was one of those things that simultaneously passed by in seconds and spanned over eons. I wished that I could have stayed there forever, intertwined in his arms. My entire world spun around me, and time and space lost all meaning. All I could think about was Nathaniel, how much I loved him, and how he was making me feel.

Nate broke away and he took my hand and we wandered back into the gym. The singer approached the microphone and asked if anyone wished to sing. Nate gently released my hand and I stared in confusion as he made his way up to the stage. He graciously accepted the microphone and quickly talked with the band on stage. They all broke into huge grins and nodded at his words.

Nate made his way up to the front of the stage. He cleared his throat and everyone in the crowd looked up expectantly at him.

"Hello everyone, my name is Nathaniel Sawyer. I wanted to sing a song for you all. I want to dedicate it to the most wonderful, special, and beautiful girl in the world." he said shyly giving me a knowing smile.

I blushed furiously and many people turned and looked at me. Many wore amused smiles.

"This is called 'That's All' and I hope you all enjoy it." he said and everyone politely applauded. Then the lights dimmed and a spotlight shone on Nate.

The music began starting with solo guitar. Nate closed his eyes and lightly held the microphone. I stared at him, fixated. He gently cleared his throat and began, singing softly, lovingly.

_"I can only give you love that lasts forever_  
_And a promise to be near each time you call_  
_And the only heart I own_  
_Is for you and you alone"_

Gasps ran throughout the crowd. No one expected Nate to be such a good singer.

_"That's all,_  
_Mhmm, That's all"_

His voice was crystal clear and like vocal caramel - warm, smooth, and irresistible. I smiled to myself. His singing voice was a reflection of his personality. The crowd whistled and cheered. Girls all around the gymnasium swooned at the sound of his voice and the lyrics. As for myself, I stood there completely dumbfounded, watching him sing with so much emotion that my heart ached just listening.

He continued: _"I can only give you country walks in springtime_  
_And a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall_  
_And a love whose burning light_  
_Will warm the winter's night_

_That's all,_  
_Baby, That's all" _

The audience was going crazy, cheering and screaming his name.

Nate looked completely at ease, and acted no one was in the crowd. He kept his eyes fixated on me, singing only for me. My heart beat incredibly fast and I felt a lump in my throat. He sang so beautifully and honestly, I stood there completely mystified and captivated.

_"There are those I am sure who have told you_  
_They would give you the world for a toy_  
_All I have are these arms to hold you_  
_And a love even time can't destroy"_

A sea of girls stood in front of the stage, swaying to the music, but just as mystified as I was. Nate had put the entire room in a trance.

_"If you're wondering what I'm asking in return, dear_  
_You'll be glad to know that my demands are small_  
_Say it's me that you'll adore_  
_For now and evermore"_

Suddenly, a spotlight shone on me and I gasped.

_"That's all,_  
_Baby, That's all"_

A trumpet player stood up and began to solo. Nate hopped off of the stage spryly. I expected the girls to tear him apart, but instead they formed an aisle to walk down. He made his way over to me, a small smile tugging on his lips.

_"If you're wondering what I'm asking in return, dear_  
_You'll be glad to know that my demands are small"_

He was nearly in front of me, his eyes twinkled brightly in the lights. I found myself walking towards him as well. The spotlights followed us and they merged together forming a giant bubble of light.

_"Say it's me that you'll adore_  
_For now and evermore" _he sang lightly holding my hand, and he began to kneel down on one knee.

_"That's all,_  
_That's all"_ he sang, down on one knee, staring into my eyes with such a loving expression that I wanted cry.

His voice was the final note and after it faded out, the room was pin drop silent. He looked into my eyes and I looked into his. Then at the same time, we leaned in and kissed. The entire student body cheered loudly and I could hear the girls "awwwing" and "ooohing", but I didn't pay them any attention whatsoever.

My only thoughts were on the boy in front of me, who had so much love for me, it swam in his eyes. The last few words echoed in my head, asking a question, and I thought to myself: _Of course I will._

_Say it's me that you'll adore..._  
_For now and evermore..._

_That's all,_  
_That's all..._

* * *

**A/N: Love it or hate it, here's the final part of the Winter Dance. I hope that you all enjoy it. Like Sarah so aptly put it: The cards are all on the table. Nate finally reveals everything to Sarah about his feelings and Kirsten. Later, she'll learn the specifics of Kirsten's death. I hope that this was a satisfactory conclusion. ****Personally, I don't really enjoy having drama like this. I prefer having pure, cheesy relationships but I think that is kind of unrealistic. I think the song at the end kind of compensated for it though.**

**To clarify, Aphrodite kind of possessed Amy and made her kiss Nate to make Sarah feel bad. As mentioned in the last chapter, that's her first challenge. **

**Also, I have a new story out. Check it out! It's pretty good and is a lot more plot driven.**

**You should definitely give the song a listen. It's called "That's All" by Michael Buble. **

**Here's a link: watch?v=-d4OVHvWZEQ&feature=related**

**It's ridiculously amazing and is the best romantic song I have ever heard. The song before it is my personal favorite. It's called "You Don't Know Me" and is guaranteed to knock your socks off. I always get a lump in my throat when I hear it since it fits me so perfectly. **

**Two Questions: **

**1. How do you all feel about Nate? Like him? Love him? Hate him? He's going to have a major role in the story, so I am curious to know how you all feel about him.**

**2. After the series is over, I am thinking of a doing another one that is a series of one-shots of Nate and Sarah. Would you be interested in reading it?**

**Thoughts? Send them over! As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

***I am awfully proud of that part. Sounds oddly poetic doesn't it?**


	31. Author Note - Some Changes

**Author Note**

Hello everyone, I know, I know, an author note is probably not what you want to see from me after not posting in such a long time, but I think that it is necessary. There are a couple things that I want to talk about before the next chapter comes out. For those of you who do not know, the next chapter is when Nate finally goes to Camp Half Blood and whatnot. I didn't really want to have monsters in this series because as I mentioned back in the beginning of the series, I believe that it detracts from the experience and is generally superfluous. However, the amount of requests that I have been receiving for monster appearances can simply not be ignored anymore, so I am going to have one sometime soon.

**1. I can't respond to all the reviews** – for obvious reasons, I can't respond to all of the reviews that I received while I was on vacation. You all know that I am usually very good about responding to your reviews and PM's, but at this particular time, responding to like 25 new reviews is out of the question. Just know that I am not attempting to ignore/shun you, it's just that it would take me an obscenely long time to finish responding to all of you. I will begin responding to reviews starting with the uploading of this document. As always, thanks for reviewing – I genuinely appreciate it and it always makes my day a little brighter. I take your suggestions very seriously and I am always looking for new things to add to the story.

**2. I have been spending way too much time on this **– Most authors on fanfiction update once every few weeks. Me? I have sometimes updated three times in a single day (no joke). I mean, I check this page for reviews more than I check my Facebook page! It's gotten to the point where I spend three hours everyday responding to reviews and typing up the next chapter, and being in high school, I just can't do that anymore. Bottom line: this is really starting to suck my time dry. College is right around the corner for me, so I really have to invest my time more wisely. What this means for you all is that I am going to be a lot slower with my updates. I probably will still cheat anyways and update frequently, but it will probably be noticeably slower.

**3. I'm done? - **For those of you who don't know, I've already written the last two chapters of the story. This doesn't mean that I have everything in between done, but most of it is pretty concrete. I am really happy with it and I think that you all will love it and hate me. It's one of those kind of endings, but I love it to death. I anticipate maybe 50 chapters at most, but it might be less than that. There are like 3 major things that happen in the rest of the story, but that's about it.

**4. The Percabeth Debacle - **I know that I have kind of shifted the story away from Percy and Annabeth to Nate and Sarah, and I apologize for that. I will definitely still have Percy/Annabeth fluff since I adore Annabeth and Percy's a flexible character to work with. However, this does mean that they aren't really going to have too much turbulence to go through, at least not nearly as much as Nate and Sarah will for the rest of the series. The Sarah/Amy confrontation is coming up for all of you Amy haters.

**5. My cruise trip was kind of life changing - **Almost all of you can tune this out, but for those of you interested in what happened read on. This is basically the only forum where I can post stuff like this, and I am sure that some of you will get angry, but I need to get this off my chest. My best friend and I sat down and had a long conversation (3 hours) and unconsciously, I started talking about things that I have never even talked about. I was giving him relationship advice and whatnot when he asked me how I was doing. To preface this, I had a really bad break up a few years ago that almost completely changed my personality - I became a really bitter, depressed, cynical person which was not at all how I used to be. Basically, my friend was concerned about me since I think that I fit the medical definition of "chronically depressed" and I was telling him how I wasn't always like this. Then we both made a pact of sorts to try to bring me, the real me, back because both of us were tired of seeing me all depressed and stuff. From now on basically, I am going to try and be more happier and stuff. I know that I am capable of it because being around certain individuals (cough, my crush, cough) brings "him" back out again and "he" is so much more attractive than I am now - "he's" funny, quirky, energetic, confident, and focused. My task now is to bring out my real self consciously so that everyone can see the real me. Anyhow, wish me luck - transforming your entire personality is ridiculously difficult.

**The next chapter will be out sometime by this Wednesday! Thank you all for your patience!**


	32. Visit to Camp

**Dawn and Death**

**Nathaniel's POV:**

The wind whipped my favorite purple cashmere scarf into my face as I walked besides Annabeth. I sighed and gently pushed it out of my eyes to prevent it from obscuring my vision. It was snowing again and the sky was cloudy and overcast - overall, it was pretty depressing outside, but I rather liked it. I had to walk slightly faster to keep up with Annabeth because she seemed to be in a hurry.

"Annabeth, can you please tell me where we're going?" I asked exasperatedly for the umpteenth time that day.

Annabeth turned her head slightly before answering. "I already told you: you'll see when we get there. Now stop pestering me. Asking me a hundred times won't get me to tell you." she said simply before turning her head back forward.

I sighed heavily and stuffed my hands in my coat pockets. Annabeth had sent me a text message last night asking to meet with her at Central Park to talk about something "important". Anyhow, I graciously accepted and when I arrived, she dragged me to a waiting car with a hulking surfer guy at the wheel. Then we got dropped off somewhere next to a giant hill where a giant pine tree stood vigil. We were walking up the hill right now, but it was steeper than I initially thought, hence my falling behind. Annabeth walked up the hill with ease, as though she had done so multiple times before.

We finally made it to the top of the hill and I frowned as I gazed at the sight ahead of me. There was a valley dotted with a ton of cabins and to one side stood a giant house like thing. There was a canoe lake that was frozen over and currently being used as an ice skating rink in the background.

The first strange thing that I noticed was that it was about 30 degrees hotter at the top of the hill. Second, there were a bunch of kids walking around dressed in gladiator style armor over an orange shirt and jeans. Third, almost all of the kids looked extremely fit, like they spent all of their time using weapons or something.

I turned to Annabeth for explanation, but she was too busy looking down at the valley with a fond look in her eyes. Then she finally noticed me looking at her with a curious look on my face.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood - this is a safe place for kids like you and I. Come on, I'll show you around and I'll explain what it is we do here." she said, waving her hand down as she began walking down the hill.

I looked at her suspiciously and then followed her. As we neared the base of the hill, Annabeth began talking again.

"I suppose that I should start from the beginning. You're familiar with Greek Mythology right?" she asked me.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I've read enough of it to know some basic stuff, like the 12 Olympians and whatnot, but I am no expert." I explained.

"Well, this is going to sound kind of strange, but those myths are real. The Greek gods exist and are alive and well. They actually live on Mt. Olympus, but it transfers with Western Civilization. Right now, it's stationed in New York City, above the Empire State Building." she said slowly, letting her words sink in.

I burst out laughing.

It was kind of rude, but I couldn't help it. What she had just said was absolutely ridiculous. My grin vanished when I noticed a serious expression on her face.

"Wait, you're serious?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, I am. I know that you know that I am telling you the truth. Nate, you're here right now because you are a demigod. That means that you have a mortal parent and a godly parent. Your father is a minor god - Anteros, God of Reciprocated Love and Scorned Love." she explained calmly and I stiffened.

"How do you know about my dad?" I whispered as sweat began to roll down the length of my arm.

"I knew after what happened in Calc class that day. A scale was burned into my palm and that has always been his symbol. That and the fact that you perfectly fit in with all of his characteristics." she continued and I looked at her suspiciously.

"Well okay, even if the Greek Gods are real and stuff, why am I here?" I asked her hesitantly.

"Being a demigod means that you have powers and that in turn means that monsters will come after you. In fact, it's a miracle that you've gone this far without running into one of them for so long. You need to learn how to control your powers, and that's why you're here. Tell me, has anything strange ever happened to you when you've gotten angry or upset?" she asked me.

My thoughts instantly flickered to the night of Kirsten's death. After the doctors told me that she was gone, I went home and collapsed on my bed crying for hours, unable to fall asleep. Then an uncontrollable rage seized my body and the next thing I knew, my house was completely destroyed.

"Once, back when I lived in Florida." I said simply, not wanting to elaborate any further.

She didn't press me on why it happened, but she did ask a follow up question. "Can I ask you what your powers are?" she asked me cautiously.

I turned my head to the side and stared intently at a deserted, snow covered volleyball court. Silently, I debated in my head whether or not I should tell her. I sighed, finally deciding that telling the truth was probably the best call here.

"It's kind of hard to explain. There's this red and black energy that forms around me and emanates in waves off my body. I don't exactly know what they do, but the air around me starts to vaporize and wherever I am, the location starts to tear itself apart." I said quietly and Annabeth's eyes widened.

She turned away and looked at the ground intently, her gray eyes calculating, analyzing what I had just told her. We walked in silence for a minute when we made it to the house-like thing that I had seen before. It was sky blue and absolutely enormous.

"This is the Big House, there's someone inside that I want you to meet." she said, breaking the silence.

Together, we stepped into the house and made our way down the stairs. We saw a room that looked like a rec room, there were chips and soda scattered throughout the room, and there was a ping pong table in the middle. There I saw a middle aged, grizzly looking man sitting in a wheel chair reading a book.

"Hey Chiron, here's the new camper I've been telling you about." Annabeth said as she waved to the man.

He looked up at me and gave me an intense look before breaking out into a small smile.

"You can leave now, Annabeth, thanks for your help. I need to talk to Nathaniel alone." he said politely and Annabeth nodded before leaving the room.

After she closed the door behind her, Chiron spoke.

"I am Chiron, legendary trainer of heros and a supervisor here at camp. It's been a long time since a Son of Anteros has graced me with his presence." he said calmly.

I stiffened again, and squirmed uncomfortably in place.

Chiron noticed and gave me a sympathetic smile.

"You have a difficult fate, my boy - one that I would not wish on anyone." he said slowly.

My pupils dilated and I felt a shot of adrenaline rush through my body.

"Yes, I know about your curse - all of the immortals do. I know that things will take some getting used to, but I can help you." he said earnestly, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I was so glad that someone knew what I had to deal with.

"How can you help me? Unless you can convince Aphrodite to spare me, I don't see how that will happen." I said nervously.

Chiron's face darkened and when he spoke, his voice was lower. "In some ways, Aphrodite is the most dangerous of all the Olympians. She bears irrational grudges and doesn't play well with others. You're not the first to fall victim to her jealousy - there's Psyche, Eos, and many more. I'm afraid I have no power over her, but at least I can help you control your powers better. You have dangerous gifts, and you need to control them better." he said darkly.

I nodded in assent - what he was saying made sense. Controlling my powers would be a good idea.

"Good, then meet me tomorrow at the training grounds and we can begin your training. I take it that Annabeth has explained mythology to you?" he asked me.

"Yeah, most of it I guess. I know that the gods are alive and stuff and who my dad is." I explained.

He rose his eyebrows in surprise. "She didn't tell you about the Titan War?" he asked me inquisitively and I shook my head.

"Well, this past summer, the Titans regained power and attacked the Gods hoping to destroy them and Mt. Olympus. It was only due to Percy and Annabeth's bravery that they were stopped. Percy was even offered immortality, but he turned it down to stay with Annabeth." Chiron explained.

I raised my eyebrows, unable to comprehend what I had just heard.

_Turning down godhood... Percy must really love Annabeth. _I thought to myself in wonder.

"Now, go on outside - Annabeth will show you around. Maybe you can make a few friends while you're here. You can leave once I have deemed that you have attained reasonable control over your powers." Chiron said before turning back down to his book.

I gave him a curt nod and then made my way back out of the Big House, following the way that I had used when I was brought here.

Once I opened the door, a flurry of snowflakes swirled around my face. My face broke into a slight smile and I closed the door behind me, searching for Annabeth. She was standing some distance away talking to a girl with long chocolatey brown hair with reddish highlights. I made my way over to Annabeth and noticed that the pair was still deep in conversation. After I got close to them, Annabeth abruptly stopped talking and turned to me with a smile.

"Oh hey Nathaniel, done already? Well anyways, this is Charlotte Riley - she's new here, like you." she said simply.

I nodded and turned to study the newcomer. She looked straight into my eyes and I noticed with a start that they were pale blue, like the sky, but that there were pale orange, pink, and purple streaks brushed in them as well. The girl was relatively short and slender, about the same height as Annabeth. Her eyes betrayed something though - I knew because I saw it in my own eyes whenever I stared at my reflection in a mirror: They had a haunted look, and they were harsh, trying to hide secrets.

I instantly sympathized with her, and I didn't feel strange when she ran her eyes over me, trying to figure me out and determine if I was worth trusting. I smiled weakly, thinking of how much she reminded me of myself. Charlotte was frowning, her eyebrows furrowed, and she maintained a steely grimace as though she was trying to appear uninviting, but I knew that it was all just a facade. When I stared at her, I looked at her sympathetically, but gave nothing away about myself. Her frown deepened and then she turned away, apparently giving up.

"Hi Charlotte, I'm Nathaniel Sawyer, but you can just call me Nate." I said pleasantly, extending my hand forward.

Charlottes eyes widened slightly and I noticed blush slowly creep into her cheeks and she allowed herself a small smile. She met my hand and shook it firmly.

"Nice to meet you too, Nate." She said confidently.

Annabeth observed the pair of us keenly, and once we broke our handshake she addressed the pair of us.

"I'll show you to your cabins. Well actually, that's going to be difficult. Nate, your dad doesn't exactly have a cabin, and Charlotte, you're still unclaimed, but don't worry, your godly parent will claim you by dinner. I'll arrange for you to stay in the Hermes cabin for now and Nate, you can stay in the Aphrodite cabin, seeing as how Anteros is her son." Annabeth reasoned, and I paled.

"No!" I said fiercely.

_Anywhere but there._ I thought, my heart racing._  
_

Annabeth gave me a curious look, but didn't pry. "Fine, you can stay in the Artemis cabin for now." she said slowly, still studying me warily.

I gave her a terse nod and I noticed Charlotte staring at me as well. I felt myself become irritated briefly, but it vanished.

"Okay, come on you both - I'll give you the grand tour." said Annabeth brightly.

The two of us followed her as she led the way, me more grudgingly than Charlotte.

The tour took about an hour long. We covered everything from the Mess Hall, the Armory, the Canoe Lake, the Stables, and finally the cabins. The cabins were large, monolithic structures arranged in a semi-circle of sorts. Each one looked radically different from the next - there was one that was all pink and girly (my intuition told me that was Aphrodite's domain, so I stayed away), one that looked like a botanists paradise, one that had a bloody boar's head plastered to the front, and more. Annabeth stopped in front of an extremely run down looking cabin that looked like it had been to hell and back. I could hear rambunctious laughter and loud, startling noises coming from inside the cabin.

"Here's the Hermes cabin. Charlotte, you can set up inside, but remember, you'll probably be moving by the end of the night. Also, be careful with your money and possessions, the Hermes kids can be quiet the tricksters." Annabeth cautioned and Charlotte gave her a brisk nod.

She put on a brave face, turned, and walked into the cabin, the old netted door slapping shut behind her.

Annabeth hesitated for a second longer wearing a look of melancholy on her face before moving on. I noticed and stored that in the back of my mind for future reference.

Annabeth brought me to a simple silvery cabin decorated with animal skin rugs and when she opened the door, two gray wolves stood up from where they were sitting on the floor and growled.

"Easy you guys - he's just staying here for a while. I know, I know, no boys allowed, but I have a feeling Nathaniel will find a better home here than in other cabins." Annabeth said placatingly to the wolves, but they took no notice of her.

The wolves continued growling and walked up towards me. I noticed that both of them had different colored eyes - one eye was electric blue and the other was black. They bared their fangs and crouched down in front of me, adopting an offensive stance. Annabeth's hand drifted to her dagger and she tensed.

Throughout the entire interaction, I stood calmly and stared back at the wolves confidently.

I wasn't going to give them an inch.

The wolves flattened and stared at me balefully, trying to read me, and like before, I showed nothing. This only seemed to agitate them further and the hair on their backs began to bristle and their claws extended.

"Enough." I spoke firmly in a voice that wasn't entirely my own. It reminded me more of Anteros's voice - deeper, richer, commanding, and most of all, ridiculously persuasive.

Annabeth dropped her dagger and her body shook as she stared at me in shock. The wolves whimpered, all traces of aggression vanishing completely. They sat up straight and looked at me expectingly. I calmly strode forward and rubbed them both behind the ears. The let out woofs of satisfaction and I smiled.

"Problem solved!" I said cheerily, looking back at Annabeth.

Annabeth gaped at me, her eyes seemed to race a thousand miles per hour.

"I-I guess so. Well, umm, I'm going to leave you here to unpack and stuff. Dinner's at 7, so don't be late." she stammered before leaving with a look of confusion and horror blended on her face.

I nodded hesitantly as she stepped outside. After she left, I studied the room as I petted the dogs. It wasn't extravagant, but I loved it. It had a hunter type feel, and while that made me somewhat uncomfortable, it was pretty cozy. There was a large fireplace, two silver sofa's, and a couple sets of bunk beds. A snow tiger's pelt was stretched across the floor, but the rest of the floor was made from some pale, silvery blue wood.

After I got unpacked, I sat in the room with the two wolves until dinner time, deep in thought about my curse.

_What have I gotten Sarah into? _I thought worriedly.

I knew that Aphrodite's stunt at the dance was only the first to come, and that worried me. Things were going to escalate, and it was all my fault. By attempting to break my curse, I was endangering a loved one. In the end, it was a lose-lose situation, but I would gladly accept death over bringing Sarah harm.

There was also a question of whether or not Aphrodite would let the whole thing work out. I bet she has some elaborate break-up planned for us, and everything else is just a precursor to that. However, some part of me knew that what Sarah and I had was special and that it somehow might even transcend Aphrodite's control. At least, that's what I hoped, but I felt in my gut that I was right.

After glancing at the time, I sighed and made my way over to dinner. I sat alone at a table because everything was divided up by cabin. I noticed that Charlotte was also sitting alone at a table adjacent to mine. I stirred my soup absent-mindedly, ultimately deciding to strike up a conversation.

"So, what're you here for?" I asked her questioningly.

She turned to me and her face hardened. "None of your business, Pretty Boy." she snapped, and I wore an amused expression.

"Pretty Boy? Seriously? Come on, you can do better." I teased her.

Her face reluctantly split into a grin and I smiled brightly. She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Hey, I can do worse you know." she called out.

I laughed in response. "Whatever makes you happy, Prom Queen..." I said, shaking my head.

She frowned. "Prom Queen?" she asked in response.

I shrugged in return. "You seem like one of those girls. You know, perfect girl, perfect world? Am I wrong?" I asked her.

Her face darkened. "Anything but." she muttered in response and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah? I bet I'm way worse off than you are." I said to her and she looked at me with an irritated expression.

"I highly doubt that." she said flatly.

"Oh really? Try me, I dare you." I said confidently in response.

She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at me defiantly.

"I'm not stupid you know. I know what you're trying to do." she said quietly.

"Hmm, what am I 'trying' to do?" I asked her drawing air quotes.

"Well, it's obvious - you're trying to get me angry by somehow competing with me. Well, it won't work. There's no way I am telling you anything, so leave me alone." she said firmly.

I smiled at how much I was annoying her. "Boy, someone has a large head. I'm only trying have a normal conversation." I said in response.

"Yeah, well you're doing a bang-up job of it." she muttered under her breath.

"Hey, I heard that!" I protested and she harrumphed in response.

I laughed again and she broke into a smile as she stared at her food, still crossing her arms over her chest. After I stopped laughing, a sad look entered my face again as I gazed into my soup.

_She's just like I was before I met Sarah. Well not as bad, but somewhat similar... I can see why people around me were concerned now. _I thought to myself sadly.

_I want to help her, like Sarah helped me. _I thought to myself.

I sobered up and looked at her again.

"Listen, I'm sorry about prying and stuff. I know what it's like to bear the burden of a dark secret, and that's why I want to help you. Trust me, you have more control over your circumstances than you think. The quickest path to recovery is to surround yourself with people that care about you, believe me, I know." I said earnestly.

Her eyes widened and she clenched her knuckles, but she didn't look up away from her food.

"No one can help me. I'm ashamed of what I've done, and nothing will ever take that away. Thanks for trying to help, but I know you won't be able to." she whispered, shaking her head from side to side.

I was about to say something when Chiron spoke.

"Campers! We have two new faces here today: Would Charlotte Riley and Nate Sawyer please join me?" Chiron boomed.

Charlotte and I exchanged glances before standing up hesitantly. I ruffled my hair nervously as we walked up to Chiron.

"Everyone, this is Nathaniel Sawyer, Son of Anteros!" he said loudly and the campers applauded loudly. I heard a ton of girls giggling uncontrollably and many of them began pointing at me.

"You're so hot!" some girl called out from the Aphrodite table, and her friends giggled, nodding their heads furiously in assent.

I looked down at the ground, my face burning with embarrassment. Whenever people made comments like that, it always flustered me because there was no proper response.

"That's enough Drew, sit down." Chiron chided and Drew sat back down with a hungry look in her eyes.

I shuddered as Chiron turned to Charlotte. He looked at her expectantly as though something miraculous was about to happen.

Then something miraculous did indeed happen. A torch insignia burned above Charlotte's head and her eyes widened incredibly, and she stood petrified.

"All hail Charlotte Grace, Daughter of Eos, Goddess of Dawn!" boomed Chiron and the camp broke out into applause yet again.

After that was over, the both of us began walking back to the cabins. Charlotte exchanged a mortified glance with me and I gave her a sympathetic smile. She wrapped her hand in mine for comfort and I squeezed it gently. Then she became embarrassed and broke away.

"Sorry." she muttered.

"Whatever makes you happy, Prom Queen." I teased, and she smiled slightly.

"See, I got you to smile!" I said jubilantly and she treated me to a laugh.

"Well, I'll see you later." she said, and I nodded, making my way over to the Artemis Cabin.

As I opened the door, I noticed something strange. The wolves were oddly quiet, just sitting there motionless, their eyes glazed over, transfixed on some distant object. I walked in cautiously and peered around the room, which was bathed in an odd blackish-green light.

There was a pale boy sitting on the sofa staring intently into black flames in the fire place. When I walked in, his eyes fluttered up towards me. He had hair as black as mine, that grew long and shaggy. His skin was white to the point that it looked albino. He was wearing a black T-shirt and a tattered pair of dark blue jeans. I think if he went to school, he would fit in with the emo/goth crowd perfectly.

By his side, there was a sinister looking black iron sword embedded firmly in the wood. His eyes were blood red and when they met mine I felt a primal fear erupting in my stomach. I swallowed audibly. They had a haunted, almost manic look about them.*

"Sit." the mystery boy said plainly, gesturing to the couch beside him.

I sat slowly, my eyes narrowed in suspicion. I still couldn't activate my powers by will and this kid looked like he could tear me apart with his teeth if he wanted to.

The boy took a deep breath and grimaced before he began.

"Nathaniel Sawyer? The name's Nico Di Angelo, and I have someone that desperately wants to talk with you." he said flatly, staring straight into my eyes.

* * *

***I know that Nico's eyes aren't actually blood red, but that's the way I've always pictured them - it makes them seem so much more epic.**

**A/N: Hello everyone! I am sorry for not updating in so long - school work and writer's block make me a dull boy. In all honesty though, I had some REALLY bad writer's block with this one, but not to fret! It's sorted out for the time being. It was hard not to make this chapter either a superficial filler or really sloppy, but I finally managed to make it more engaging, so I hope that comes across.**

**1. Let's clear up the air:**

**A. Charlotte is a new character that was actually an OC submitted by a reviewer a long time ago. She is going to be the only one that I accept because she (referring to the reviewer now) answered one of the first trivia questions right, before I placed my OC "cap". Anyhow, I hope you like her and Storm229, I hope I did her justice!**

**B. There is no Nate/Charlotte romance going on, so don't panic! They'll just be friends, and Charlotte will attend Goode and join the gang.**

**C. There are going to be three CHB chapters before Nate leaves and stuff. After this, there won't be anymore CHB visits. **

**D. If it's possible, Nate is kind of OOC in this chapter. Haha, I know, the irony isn't lost on me, but I have my reasons. Nate's newfound cheeriness represents how being with Sarah is changing him to be more warm and friendly. Get used to it because he's going to become increasingly friendly as the story progresses. **

**2. Psuedo-Trivia Challenge: "Why is Nico here and who does he know that might want to talk with our favorite moody boy?" Guess correctly and I will let you chose a reward or do something nifty for you!**

**3. Title Contest! Come up with a title for the story! Just for giggles. I can't think of a cool one, so I'll pick one of yours! You have a few days - until Sunday at noon. For now, this chapter shall be called "Visit to Camp" but that is lame and really unoriginal, so be sure to send in your ideas!**

**Phew, that was long but necessary. As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

**Side Note: With regards to the last chapter about my cruise revelation, thank you so much for your kind words, support, and encouragement. It means more to me than you will ever know. I appreciate all of you concern, and I am glad that I have some backing as I undertake the most difficult challenge of my life. **

**One final side note: Two weeks ago I received 1.73k hits and I completely forgot to tell you all that! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I never anticipated that any of this would have happened. I swear, when I started, I thought that maybe 4 people max would read it and think that it was absolute trash, but now a month down the line, I have the greatest reviewers/fan base ever and I am honored to write for you all.**


	33. My Heart Died a Little

**My Heart Died a Little**

**I know that this isn't the place to do something like this, but I swear, I have nowhere else to turn or anyone to tell at the moment, so I am going to do it here. **

**I'll start from the beginning...**

**Like I mentioned in that last author note, the reason my personality became screwed up was because I had a very bad break-up with a girl that I was completely in love with. What happened was we dated for a while and it was my first relationship ever (and evidently my only one) and summer vacation was coming up. I had to leave on vacation and I couldn't help shake this feeling inside me that that was going to be the last time I ever saw her, at least as my girlfriend. So before I left, I finally told her how I felt about her. I told her she was the most amazing person that I ever met and that I was so lucky to be her boyfriend. Well anyhow, that was the general gist of it (the real thing was even sappier), but the instant I did I regretted it. I was worried that she was going to think I was weird, or even worse - that she didn't feel the same way. I still remember what she said:**

**"Ah thanks, you're amazing too." **

**That was it. Anyone else something wrong with that picture? I did too. I mean, your boyfriend just professed his feelings for you and all you can say in return is "You're amazing too"? Well, at the time, I chose to ignore it, relieved that she at least said something nice. When I got back from vacation, she abruptly left for her own vacation - long story short, I didn't see her until school started up again. **

**So school starts, and for some reason, all of her friends started looking at me really oddly - like I was some sort of disease. I thought it was strange, but I paid it no attention. Apparently, what had happened was, unbeknownst to me, she had gone and told all of her friends that I had basically spilled my feelings for her (which was a huge invasion of privacy by the way!). Anyhow, her friends kept acting really strangely to me, and these were kids that I was friends with the year before, but now they were treating me like an absolute alien. **

**Then, at the end of my first week of school, she dumped me. No explanation, no sorry, no idea what type of damage she was going to cause to me. After that, I became ridiculously depressed, not to the point of suicide, but everyone close to me could tell something major had just happened. My friends were absolutely furious and they did their best to comfort me, but it was to no avail. I was thoroughly shocked - she had completely changed. **

**Here's my favorite part - after she broke up with me, she spun the story so that I was the villain, not the victim. She was a popular girl - best cross country member in my school, so she circulated rumors. For the next two months, I received horrific insults from people that I had once counted as my friends - they said things so horrible, you can't even imagine. Everything was spinning out of control and my best friends were the only ones that could keep me going, but they could only do so much.**

**Then, she got another boyfriend 2 months later. That tore up the last bit of my sanity. **

**After that, whenever she and I would interact, she would pretend that I didn't even exist. And I mean, ****_didn't exist_****. She would actually stare right through me like I wasn't even there. She made no effort to make a conversation with me or anything. I can't even begin to tell you how much this hurt me. **

**Anyhow, fast forward 2 years, to now. The thing I wanted the most then and I still do now is closure. I never got that. To this date, I still had no explanation or anything about why those events transpired. My best friend suggested trying to talk to her about it and see if she would tell me something that might finally get her out of my head. I told him I would try sometime soon. **

**That sometime soon was today.**

**I logged onto Facebook and saw her there (I know, not the best place to do it, but it would have been a billion times worse in person). After mentally wrestling with myself, I finally plucked up the courage to talk to her. My idea was simple: Apologize for what happened (even though I did nothing wrong) and see if she would do the same. You know, the old "If you're at fault then the fact that I messed up isn't so bad" trick. **

**It failed miserably.**

**Here's how the conversation went:**

_**Me: "Hey (insert name) I just wanted to apologize. For everything I guess."**_

_**Her: "You know what? I don't even care. Stop."**_

_**Me: "I'm sorry if I upset you, but I really just wanted to apologize."**_

_**Her: "I don't want to hear it. Leave me the hell alone."**_

_**Me: "Look, I'm just trying to fix whatever happened between us, so that we can at least act normally around each other."**_

_**Her: "You don't understand me. I don't want to talk to you or be friends with you. I never loved you, now stay the hell away from me. I'm gonna leave now."**_

**Yeah, that's actually what just happened. You have no idea how terrible I feel right now. I have no idea why I was apologizing to ****_her _****and she turned it back on me. That last line... **

**_"I never loved you, now stay the hell away from me."_**

**I think my body kind of went into shock when I read that because I started shivering uncontrollably. **

**Guys, I am sorry, but I don't think that I'll be updating for a while, at least until I can reign in my emotions. Doing this is probably a serious lapse in my judgment, but I just feel so hurt right now. I am sorry that I wasted your time and got your hopes up that I updated again, but this might actually have been the worst thing to ever happen to me. My hope that we might somehow be friends again just completely died today and that's a hope that I have been clinging onto for the last 2 years of my life. I thought for a second that maybe things would work out, but I never anticipated her to respond in that way. **

**In a way, maybe you learned something from this. Do you understand what I mean when I say I am a lot like Nate? I mean, my girlfriend isn't dead, but I think that she left deep emotional scarring nonetheless. I was like him: charming, nice, all that jazz. I did so many things to make her happy, and she gave me nothing in return - truth be told, I don't even think she noticed. **

**Sarah is actually a portrayal of what a perfect girl should be - accepting of her boyfriend, appreciative of his kindness, and willing to give him a second chance. **

**This is the reason I am super anal retentive about justice - I never got it, so somehow I am trying to make for it here. For example, in Chapter 10 when Annabeth cries about Percy's sacrifices - you have no idea how cathartic that was for me, and how much it pissed me off that that sequence wasn't anywhere here on fanfiction. This whole story thing is actually just a giant healing process for me, so that I can experience what might have been, but never was. **

**Again, I apologize profusely to you all - I know that you really don't care, but sometimes you just need to spill your troubles to anyone that might listen. Haha, I know some of you might think that I am awfully weak and pathetic, and you're probably right. **

**Sigh.**

**If you have any thoughts or advice please send them my way - they might cheer me up. Lord knows that I need all the help I can get. **


	34. First Step To Forgiveness

**Listen to "Kiss the Rain" by Yiruma as you read the chapter - it will enhance your experience greatly!**

**First Step To Forgiveness**

**Nathaniel's POV:**

The first thought that popped into my head was one of confusion. The Son of the God of the Underworld wanted me to speak with someone? That was a very disturbing thought, but I repressed it since it didn't look like I had much of a say in the matter.

"Who do you know that would want to talk to me?" I asked him inquisitively. I was positive that no one that he knew would have any clue as to who I was.

Nico stood up with a start and yanked his sword out of the wood, leaving it splintered. He then waved his hand casually in front of the flames and they reverted back to their usual color. Then he turned to me and looked me straight in the eyes.

"You'll see when we get there." he said curtly and he began to walk out of the cabin.

"Hey wait!" I called out after him, getting off of the sofa and following him.

Nico and I walked in front of the cabin and then without a word, he stuck his hand out to me. I looked at it quizzically, thinking that it was an odd time for a handshake.

"Grab on, this is going to be unsettling since it's your first time. Whatever you do, don't let go." he said and I lightly grasped his hand.

Not a second after my hand made contact with his, the whole world went black and I felt like I was being sucked through a tube. The feeling was nauseating. For a few seconds, I couldn't see or feel anything. I could hear screams that sent chills down my spine, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Then just like that, we popped out on a highway in the middle of nowhere.

I sank to my knees and exhaled, gulping in as much air as my lungs could handle.

"What the hell?!" I demanded, still breathing heavily.

"Shadow travel. Now follow me, she's waiting for you." he said simply.

I frowned. "She?" I asked.

Nico turned towards me and looked at me sadly. "You'll put the pieces together soon enough." he said quietly, and I felt my hairs stand on end.

I dusted off my jeans and I followed Nico down the road finally taking in my surroundings. I was standing on some highway and directly behind me was some sort of farm that grew corn and sunflowers. In front of me, was a dark, ominous forest. Instantly recognition flashed through my eyes, and I wanted to run and hide - to get as far away from this place as I could.

_I'm standing on the highway where Kirsten died. _

I swore loudly and grabbed the neck of Nico's shirt, spinning him around.

"What are you playing at?" I hissed, holding him up off the ground.

A murderous glint flashed through his eyes, but he shuddered, calming himself down.

"I'm going to give you 2 seconds to put me down if you want to keep your hands. If you don't think I'm serious, then I dare you to wait and find out." he said quietly.

"I don't have time for your crap. Bring me back. _Now_." I said through gritted teeth.

"Nathaniel, put him down." I heard a voice and instantly my brain stopped functioning.

With quivering hands I set him down and turned over my shoulder, dreading what I would see.

Kirsten was standing in front of me, her arms crossed across her chest, still as impatient as ever. She had an annoyed look on her face, but I could tell just by looking into her pale blue eyes that she was overjoyed to see me. She was still dressed in the clothes she was in the night she died - a red Abercrombie shirt and jeans. There was no evidence of the car crash on her though - she looked as good as new.

I opened my mouth and gaped like a fish, unable to comprehend what was happening.

_Am I dreaming? _I thought to myself in confusion.

"Kirsten..." I began quietly.

Then simultaneously, the both of us walked up to each other and hugged tightly. I picked her up and spun her around in a circle like I used to do when we were dating.

When we broke away, Kirsten looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her face. She punched me lightly in the shoulder and I grinned.

"Nice to see you too, Nathaniel. You haven't changed a bit." she said with a smile.

I shook my head and chuckled. "Oh, you should have seen me - I was an absolute mess after you died, still am. But enough of that, what are you doing here? How can I see you? What's going on?" I asked, holding her shoulders.

She laughed lightly. "I asked Nico if he could arrange a little meeting between the both of us, and he agreed. You have him to thank for this." she said happily.

I turned to Nico, who was staring off into the night sky.

"Nico, I can't thank you enough man." I said genuinely.

He turned to look at me with a smile, and he gave me a two finger salute.

"I'll be back, after the two of you are done." he said. And with that, he disappeared.

I turned my attention back to Kirsten.

"I missed you. So much." I said, my voice quivering as I struggled to keep my emotions under control.

Her eyes softened instantly. She cupped my face with her hands and whispered, "Me too. More than you will ever know."

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that I didn't listen. I'm sorry that I let you die. I'm sorry that I was too weak to save you." I said hoarsely, trying my hardest not to lose it.

Kirsten put a finger to my lips. "Shh, don't. None of this was ever your fault. I saved you because I wanted to and there was nothing you could have done about it." she said gently.

Then she pulled me in for a hug, and my knees trembled slightly. For some reason, I couldn't get the image of Sarah out of my brain.

When she broke away from me, she looked at me sadly.

"I'm sorry, you have a girlfriend now, right? I keep forgetting that you aren't all mine anymore." she said sadly, shaking her head.

"It's... it's not like that - I still love you and I'll never stop." I said, hoping desperately that she wouldn't be upset.

"Nathaniel, don't feel bad. I am glad that you found love again - you're moving on and I'm happy for you." she said gently.

I looked up at her in awe. "You're not mad? You don't think that me being with another girl is offensive to you and your memory?" I whispered.

Kirsten laughed and shook her head. Then she gestured to herself. "Nathaniel, look at me - I'm dead. You're alive. We're separated by an insurmountable barrier now, and there's nothing either of us can do about it. You can't cheat on a corpse. No, the worst part of it all was seeing you in so much pain after I died. Seeing you with her makes me happy." she said earnestly.

I looked at her without words to say.

"Just promise me one thing: That you won't forget about me." she whispered and I whipped my head up.

"I would never ever do that. If I ever grow old, I'll sit at my retirement home and chuckle to myself about that time that I pushed you into the swimming pool when we were ten. You're way too precious to me to forget about you." I said firmly.

"I know, it's just that I wish I had more time with you. At the very least, I wish that I had spent my time here more wisely, spending more time with you." she said painfully.

I wrapped her into a hug. "I wish that too. More than you can ever imagine." I whispered into her hair.

When we broke apart, we sat quietly together, our hands intertwined in each others.

"What do you think would have happened if I was still alive? Would you regret not meeting Sarah, Annabeth, and Percy?" she asked me.

I shook my head. "I would never trade you for anything or anyone, even Sarah. She's stronger than she gives herself credit for - she would have found someone else." I said, but not really believing the very last thing I said.

"You'd choose me over her?" Kirsten asked in surprise, turning to look at me.

I ran my hands through her hair absent-mindedly. "I'm not choosing anyone over anyone - all I'm saying is, if you were still alive then my life would have gone on the same as it always had, and I would've been fine with that." I said, meeting her eyes.

"I can understand that." Kirsten said simply, and she leaned her head against my shoulder.

I looked at her and smiled.

For the next hour, we sat there and talked, just about anything that came into mind. Sometimes we would just sit in silence, staring into each others eyes, trying to memorize every detail about the other before our time together came to an end. Suddenly, Kirsten stood up and extended her hand towards me and I took it without a second's hesitation.

"Dance with me." she whispered and I smiled, nodding.

"But there's no music." I pointed out and now it was her turn to smile.

"Has that ever stopped us before?" she asked and I shook my head.

I wrapped my hands around Kirsten's waist and Kirsten did so around my body. We slowly began to dance, to no particular rhythm or anything whatsoever - only the sound of the wind providing a backdrop. Together, the pair of us danced blissfully, completely immersed in the moment, and I let myself get lost in the moment. I held my hand out and Kirsten twirled around, away from me before I pulled her back into my arms. Her back was facing me, and I gently rested my face on her shoulders. She cupped the back of my head with her hands and she kissed my cheek lightly.

I grinned at her, my eyes twinkling merrily. "You missed." I whispered into her ear, and her eyes widened as I crashed my lips into hers. And this time, I didn't think about Sarah at all.

She froze in surprise and then she responded, entangling her fingers in my hair. I gently held her lower back and pressed her forward, deepening the kiss. It was an amazing kiss - every bit as amazing as it had been when she was alive.

When we broke away, Kirsten blushed under the moonlight and I laughed.

"Nathaniel, you dolt..." she whispered, but that only made me laugh harder.

Her face reddened even more, but that dopey smile she always got when I laughed popped onto her face, and I felt my heart ache painfully, as I reminisced about all the times we had.

Kirsten noticed and her face softened. She took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze and I smiled and squeezed back.

The both of us laid down on the grass and stared up at the stars, our hands intertwined, enjoying a moment of quiet companionship. I turned to look at her and she looked at me, her face had a blazing expression on it. I smiled at her, and curled her hair around fingers, playing with it. Kirsten laughed and moved my hair out of my eyes. A short while later, I had braided her beautiful golden hair while she stared at me lovingly.

"You done yet, Romeo?" she asked me teasingly.

I looked at her and put my index finger and thumb on my chin so that it looked like I was thinking. "Nope, not yet. There's still something missing." I said, looking around us.

Then I stood up and made my way over to the farm behind us where I saw a lonely, beautiful white flower growing. The insides were painted with golden stripes. I couldn't help thinking of how the flower symbolized Kirsten - beautiful, but alone. I gently picked it up and made my way over to her. I sat down and she propped herself up on her elbows looking at me intently. Lovingly, I placed the flower so that it fit into her hair snugly.

"There - you look stunning." I said with a smile and she blushed.

She gave me a playful shove, and I laughed lightly.

"I love you." I said suddenly and eyes glistened in the moonlight.

"I love you too." she said genuinely, staring into my eyes.

We didn't say anything for a while, but then she broke the silence.

"Sarah's good for you Nathaniel - she's a diamond in the rough, and don't ever let her go." she said firmly.

I looked at her in surprise. "You must really love me, huh?" I asked.

"Well that's a stupid question." she snorted.

I shook my head. "No, I mean, you love me so much that you don't feel upset that I'm with a new girl and not only that, you approve of her and want me to be with her. Why?" I asked her.

Kirsten looked down at her hands. "Because she makes you happy in a way that I never could." she said weakly.

I opened my mouth in shock. "That's not true." I said firmly.

Kirsten looked straight into my eyes. "You might not realize it now Nathaniel, but what you and Sarah have is something special. Just wait, and time will show you everything." she said simply and I had no response.

"Kirsten, you mean everything to me, I just hope you know that. I wish sometimes that we had switched places - that I had died, and you had lived. You were always the stronger one out of the both of us, and you just had so much life in with you. I am just so... so worthless, I don't deserve to be here." I said mournfully, tears collecting in my eyes.

"Nathaniel, you are anything but worthless. I saved you for a reason - the world needs more people like you, Nathaniel. The Sarah's of the world need their Nathaniel's to come save them - you're a knight in shining armor. You're _my_ knight in shining armor. I know you love me because I can see it in your eyes, I can see it in your smile, I can feel it when we kiss and when you hold me - I see it everywhere in you and I feel the same way." she said, brushing my tears away before they could fall.

"Did I ever tell you that you were perfect?" I whispered.

"You could care to mention it more." she teased, wearing a coy smile.

Then, Kirsten's body began to flicker and then it slowly began to fade away, and I looked at her in shock. She gave me a weak smile.

"I guess this is goodbye then, huh?" she asked me, and I nodded slowly.

"I love you so much. Please don't leave me." I said simply, wanting her to stay. No, I wanted her to be _here, _alive and well.

She smiled heart-meltingly at me and then we leaned in for one final kiss. As we did, I thought only of how much I loved Kirsten, and how much I would ache for her once she left.

When she broke away, we locked eyes - pale blue on violet.*

"I'll be waiting on the other side. You wait and see, we'll be together again - only this time, we'll have each other forever and nothing will tear us apart." Kirsten said firmly and I nodded.

"I'll be there, and don't you forget about me either." I said wearing a weak smile.

She gave me one final smile, mouthing the words "Never" as she finally vanished from view. Her smile lingered for a little, and I could hear her last words being carried gently on the wind. A lump formed in my throat that refused to die down.

Even though I felt incredibly sad, I was so grateful that I had this opportunity to see Kirsten again and that I got to say all the things that I never could before and for the first time since her death, I felt whole again without that burden weighing on my mind. This was a priceless moment that I would remember forever.

Kirsten had not only forgiven me, she actively approved of my new relationship. My two biggest worries vanished and I felt like a load had been lifted off of my shoulders.

_I couldn't have asked for a more perfect girlfriend. _I thought to myself.

I heard a noise behind me, and I turned to find Nico waiting for me.

"Why here?" I asked him, gesturing to the scene of Kirsten's death.

"This is where the connection is strongest - her place of death. That's the only reason you could touch her - anywhere else and she would have been a ghost, but I thought after hearing your story that you both deserved this." he said.

"I can never thank you enough. You don't know how much this means to me." I said earnestly.

Nico just smiled and for a second, he looked normal, like a happy, care-free teenage boy.

"Don't mention it. Anyone would have done it if they were in my place." he said nonchalantly.

I opened my mouth to protest, but something held my tongue. Instead, I walked up to him so we could get back to camp.

I took one last look at the place. It was still warm in Florida despite it being December, and a gentle breeze blew past us. This place would forever be transformed from one of loss and anguish to one of catharsis and forgiveness. A deep sense of melancholy built up inside me as I stood there. Finally, I turned to Nico and took his hand, ready to return back to camp.

* * *

*Violet is Nathaniel's most frequently returned to eye color. It's Sarah/Nate's couple color, like Percy/Annabeth's is sea green.

******A/N: **Hello everyone! Yes I have returned! Not much to say - fairly straight forward chapter. I'm kind of conflicted about Kirsten and Nate kissing with Sarah in the equation, but it doesn't feel like cheating to me - I don't know, tell me what you think. The part where Nate says, "You missed." kind of makes me tear up and I hope you all find it as poignant as I did. 

**PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SONG MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING - IT IS LIKE THE ABSOLUTE PERFECT SOUNDTRACK FOR THIS CHAPTER!**

**Speaking about songs - Listen to the song, "Whatever You're Doing" by Sanctus Real. It also captures this chapter, as a whole, perfectly.**

**With regards to the last Author Note, I just wanted to say thanks. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for your support, kindness, and understanding. You don't know how much it helped me just to have support, even if it wasn't from people that I personally knew. I can safely say that you all are the most compassionate human beings that I have ever met, and reading some of your encouraging messages actually made me tear up. I can't even begin to express my gratitude towards you all, and I feel so honored and blessed that you took the time to respond or share your own stories. It's like Sarah said, everyone has problems, even the most "perfect" of us all.**

**Your messages were incredibly helpful. Holistically, it was absolutely perfect - there were those of you that were incredibly supportive and sympathetic, and at the same time there were those of you that gave me advice and turned the experience into something positive by helping me learn from it. I still feel incredibly self-conscious about it, since it was pretty unprofessional of me, but truth be told, I don't regret for a second. I can't respond to all of you - between the PM's and reviews, it would take me a whole day to respond appropriately, so I just won't be responding, but this should make up for it!**

**What one of you said was particularly poetic/cool and I hope this individual doesn't mind me sharing. Here's a bit of what they said: **

_You know you are in the Labyrinth, and only you can find the string of Ariadne. You don't need a Rachel, not yet._

**I am sorry, but that was the most epic/poetic thing I have ever read! Kudos to you, Anonymous reviewer.**

**Just to clear up the air:**

**A. My ex-girlfriend's name is nowhere in this story - contrary to popular belief, Sarah and my ex don't share names, and they have absolutely nothing in common. Sarah is the name of the girl that brought me back to life, and she's almost exactly like her fictional counterpart (except she's not poor or unconfident). **

**B. I am not in love with my ex still, I just wanted to be friends or at least clear stuff up between us. Ultimately, I was just really shocked and hurt that she actually said that to me. **

**Anyhow, that aside - I hope you liked the chapter. I know it's short, but I'll be updating again normally so all is well. As always, Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

* * *

**Trivia Challenge Returns!**

**Here are two questions to kick start things: **

**1. Artemis, Virgin Goddess of the Hunt, permitted one mortal man, Orion, to join her, but in the Odyssey he is slain by Artemis for consorting with which goddess?**

**2. The well known sculpture by Michelangelo, the Pieta, which depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus mirrors which scene from Greek Mythology?**


	35. Under the Stars

**Under the Stars**

**Kirsten's POV:**

My hair kept slipping in front of my face as I vigorously typed away at my laptop, sitting on top of my bed. I sighed angrily and pushed it out of the way, tucking it behind my ear.

_Stay. _I warned it mentally.

Writing an essay for AP European History was always difficult, but it was made even more difficult by the fact that I had a tendency to over achieve. The assignment was simple enough: pick a military confrontation and write about it. Most people would have done something simple like the Napoleanic wars, but not me. I was writing about some obscure battle between the French and the English in the 100 Years War - The Battle of Agincourt. The Battle of Agincourt was epic and was pretty much like a redo of The Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans made a final stand against the Persians who vastly outnumbered them. This time however, it was the quick thinking English who triumphed over the French.

Sure enough, my hair popped back from behind my ear and came in front of my face again. I groaned and sank into my bed.

This paper was going to be the death of me, and I had no one to blame but myself. I laid on my back staring up at the ceiling for a long while, reluctant to sit back up.

Today was Saturday and that meant that Nathaniel would come over for our music nights. We always had them at my house because he didn't like going to his house. I was really looking forward to it, but first I would need to finish my Euro paper. There were about three or so hours before he would get here, and I wanted to finish everything up before he came.

I grinned to myself, thinking about Nathaniel. Yesterday night we went on a date to the Carnival which had just opened up. It was mid-May, so there was that unfortunate overlap between school work and enticing summer activities. We went right after school and stayed there all night, having fun. It was an amazing night, and I wouldn't forget it anytime soon. Nathaniel and I went on all of the rides and had a great time. He never really enjoyed amusement park rides much, but he went along, for my sake. I adore rides, especially roller coasters - it makes me feel like I am flying.

A gentle knock on my window broke my reverie. I sat up with a start and walked over to the window with a grin, knowing that he would be there. I opened the window and saw Nathaniel standing on a tree branch, his arms resting on the window sill. When he saw me, his face broke out into a huge grin.

"Hey!" he said happily.

"Hey! What are you doing here so early? I thought we agree to meet up at 7?" I asked.

Nate smirked. "Not happy to see me? You're such a good best friend." he teased.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Hey, I resent that! And for your information, I am the greatest of _all_ best friends!" I said indignantly.

He held his hands up in surrender. "I can't argue with that." he said with a laugh.

I smiled at him, filled with satisfaction. "Good! And don't you forget it!" I gloated.

Nate rolled his eyes and poked my forehead with his index and middle fingers. I smiled involuntarily, but I instantly wiped my grin off my face, pretending to be annoyed. Ever since we were little kids, Nate would do that to me - poking my forehead that is. He used to make fun of me for having a big forehead when we were younger.

_"It's like a billboard! It's huge!" _he would say, gesturing widely with his arms.

When he would say that, I would always get furious and beat the snot out of him. Despite the beatings, Nate would always say that it was worth it, even if he walked out of my house with a black eye on more than one occasion.

Anyhow, the habit never died out and nowadays, I have grown to love it. He doesn't do it to make fun of me anymore, only when he gets exasperated with me.

Nate didn't notice my grin, and I felt relieved. He would never let me hear the end of it if he found out.

"But seriously, Why are you here so early?" I asked him curiously.

A gentle breeze entered my room and gently brushed Nate's ebony colored hair so that it fluttered in the window. The smell of his cologne wafted into the room, teasing my nose and making me blush. I have absolutely no idea what cologne he used, but I swear it is the most amazing smelling thing ever. It's like a crisp mountain spring and tart winter berries.

Nate's eyes twinkled merrily when he noticed the slight reddening of my face.

"Well, I came by to see my wonderful girlfriend, but it seems like she's not really interested in seeing me, so I guess I'll leave." he whispered liltingly, and I blushed even more furiously.

Only Nathaniel could do this to me - charm me with words, make me blush like a preppy girl, and seduce me with the tone of his voice alone - and I hated it. No matter how hard I tried to resist, I couldn't. It was like a vortex pulling me against my will, but the biggest difference was that I liked the direction it was pulling me in.

"No!" I burst out before I could help it.

Nate smiled coyly at me, his eyes turning the color of the sunset.

"What was that? I am afraid I heard you wrong." he whispered cheekily.

I rolled my eyes. "Well that's your fault! You should have heard the first time!" I said irately.

His eyes lit up mischievously. "Oh I did, I just wanted it for the camera." he said quietly, and then before I could process anything, he snapped a picture of me with his iPhone.

My eyes opened wide in shock as Nate studied the picture with a grin.

"What do you think? I think it's perfect for you." he teased, showing me his iPhone so that I could see the picture.

I gasped at what I saw - I was standing there with my arms crossed over my chest, dressed in sweat pants and an old volleyball jersey. My nose was wrinkled like it always got when I got annoyed, and I was wearing a frown and I was giving Nate a death glare. In summation, I looked hideous.

"Delete it! Now!" I shrieked, trying to pry the phone away from his hands.

"Nope." he said, popping the "P". Nate was expecting my sudden outburst and instead of moving the phone away, he moved it towards me so that it hit me in the face.

He roared with laughter and I glared at him malevolently.

"I am so going to kill you!" I screamed and I began to step out of the window sill.

He stopped laughing instantly and moved back along the branch, being careful not to lose his balance.

"Stop or I'll post it on Facebook for the world to see!" he called out, trying to be confident but his voice quivered.

In normal circumstances, I would have smirked at how much I could scare him, but he had made a serious threat. My face drained of color and I looked at him weakly. I'm not a girl that cares too much about getting "perfect pictures" and everything, but I didn't want to look like a slob on the internet.

"You wouldn't dare..." I warned him, my voice dropping to a whisper.

Nate smirked defiantly at me. "Try me." he said strongly, his thumb hovering over the upload button.

"Nathaniel Sawyer, if you value your life, you will delete that picture immediately." I said quietly, trying to stand on the tree branch carefully.

"Promise not to hurt me if I do?" he asked me.

"Delete it and we can talk about it." I said. I had no intention of letting him off easily.

"That wasn't a yes." said Nate.

I glared at him insolently.

"Fine. I'll just set it as my wallpaper. That way, whenever I open my phone, I can look at your beautiful face!" he said with a smile.

I stomped my foot angrily and the branch shook. We both moved our arms wildly trying to maintain balance.

When it stopped swaying, I looked at him in fury. "Nathaniel, you are so impossible!" I screamed.

"I love you too!" he called back cheerily.

Before he could react, I ran at him and tackled him so that both of us fell out of the tree. We landed with a thud and I straddled him.

"Give. Me. The. Phone. Now." I threatened him.

Nathaniel looked up at me with wide eyes and he gulped audibly.

"No." he whispered.

A flash of rage passed through my eyes, but then I put on a very sweet smile. I leaned down so that my mouth was next to his ear.

"Nathaniel, dearest, can I please see your phone for just a teensy second?" I asked him seductively.

He gulped again and shook his head so that his hair tickled my nose.

I kissed his cheek lightly and withdrew.

"Please?" I pouted.

Nate looked like he had just got run over by a steam roller.

"I know what you're doing and it won't work." he said quietly.

I bent down and kissed him on the cheek again, peppering his face with kisses.

"What am I doing?" I asked him innocently between kisses.

Nate swallowed again and stared back at me, his eyes glazed over, and he frowned like he was trying to remember something.

"You're umm..." he trailed off in confusion.

"Phone, Nathaniel." I said lightly and he looked up at me in confusion.

"Uh Uh." he said quietly.

I glared at him and got off of him.

"Fine! Then I guess we're not going to hang out tonight!" I snapped at him.

Nate stood up with concern etched on his face.

"Come on Kirsten, it's just a picture." he said placatingly.

"No! Either you delete it or you don't get to hang out with me." I said angrily.

"Please let me keep it, I think it looks adorable." he said.

"I don't like it - I look really tired, disoriented, and ugly!" I cried out.

"Well that's how you always look!" he spat out venomously, getting fed up with me.

I opened my mouth in shock and a look of regret spread across his face.

"Kirsten, I'm sorry - I didn't mean it." he began, but I slapped him across the face.

"I'm going inside. Leave me alone." I snapped at him before storming into my house, leaving him standing alone in my yard.

* * *

_That butt face! He called me ugly! _I screamed mentally as I stared at my computer screen.

Why did he have to ruin everything? Why couldn't he just delete the stupid picture? Why did it mean so much to him? How could he call me ugly? I thought I meant something to him.

_I hate him! He's so impossible! Not everyone can be as gorgeous as the all mighty Nathaniel Sawyer! _I thought to myself in bitterly.

I started concocting a plot to steal his phone away from him somehow, or to find a way to blackmail him. My thoughts were shattered by the soft sounds of a guitar being strummed. I frowned and focused my ears, trying to determine the origin of the music. It sounded like it was coming from outside.

I stood up and went over to my window and opened it. It was around 7:30 by now, and it was already dark outside, but the moon illuminated my back yard. My eyes opened wide in shock when I saw Nathaniel leaning against the tree in my back yard, playing an acoustic guitar.

He looked up at me and his face transformed into one of relief, strumming all the while.

_"I fell asleep on a late night train  
I missed my stop and I went round again  
Why would I want to see you now?  
To fix it up, make it up somehow..." _

He sang out clearly, keeping a grin on his face the entire time.

I tried to be angry at him and I was tempted to shut my window, but I couldn't help it. He looked so adorable standing down there, singing a song just for me. Before I knew what was happening, I leaned my face down on my hands and smiled dopily at him while he played.

_"Baby I'll try again, try again...  
Baby I die every night, every time..." _

Nate sang starting to move closer beneath my window, and I felt pangs of melancholy run through my chest.

I was wrong to lash out at him, and I truly felt sorry. He was just trying to have some fun, but I got angry at him for stupid reasons like I always did. Who else but my boyfriend would I allow to take embarrassing pictures of me?

_"What I was isn't what I am  
I'd change back but I don't know if I can..._

_Still I'll try - try again, try again..._  
_Baby I die every night, every time_..."

Nathaniel had tears in his eyes for some reason, and his voice was so heart wrenchingly beautiful that I felt myself tearing up as well. I didn't like fighting with him, I never have.

_"But I was made the way I am  
I'm not a stone; I'm just a man  
Lay down your arms and I will lay down mine  
Rip back the time that we've been wasting..._

_God I wish you could see me now  
You'd pick me up and you'd sort me out"_

Nathaniel's voice crescendoes filled with self loathing and sorrow. Listening to him made my heart feel like it was being torn into a million little pieces that would be scattered in the wind, never to be recovered again.

_"Baby I'll try again, try again..._  
_Baby I die every night, every time..."_

Nathaniel concluded and tears silently rolled down his cheeks as he concluded the song. The last few words to his song lingered in the air as though the wind wished to hear him sing for a little while longer.

I closed my eyes tightly shut, unable to look at him for a second longer. I moved back quickly and shut the window tightly, sobbing quietly to myself. I could see the look of hurt and regret on his face as I did so. After I shut the window, I sprinted down the hall heading for the stairs. I took them at two or three of them at a time, eager to see Nate again and be in his arms.

I opened my door and slammed it shut, running as quickly as my legs could carry me to my back yard. When I got there, I noticed that Nathaniel wasn't there.

My heart sank and I ran to the road, trying to see where he had gone. There was no sign of him, so I ran down the street, tears streaming down my face as I tried to find him.

I made it to the neighborhood park and saw him sitting on the park bench with a vacant expression on his face, his guitar leaned up against the wood. I watched him hesitantly from behind a lamppost. Nate buried his face in his hands and he trembled slightly and I knew that he was crying to himself.

I crept up on him, and I could hear him whispering to himself under his breath.

"You're such an idiot, Nathaniel! Now she'll never want to see you again. God, you're worthless..." he mumbled to himself, his voice dripping with self-loathing.

"You're not worthless you know, but it's up to debate about whether or not you're an idiot." I whispered into his ear and he looked up with a start.

"Kirsten!" he said in surprise, his voice hoarse from crying.

"Hey..." I said sheepishly.

Then before I could do anything, he pulled me in for a tight hug. I was surprised when I felt his tears rolling down onto my neck.

"I am so so so so, a thousand times, sorry! I never meant what I said and I feel awful! Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?" he whispered pleading against my neck.

I hugged him tightly and rubbed his back comfortingly.

"Of course I will you knucklehead." I said, trying to sound cool, but my voice ended up cracking and sounding really raw.

Nate broke away and studied me. "I promise I will never say something that hurtful to you ever again." he said resolutely.

"I'm sure you won't. Now stop crying you big baby!" I teased him, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

He laughed suddenly and without warning. I felt a warmth spread through my body originating from my stomach and my legs turned to jelly, like they always did when he laughed. I swear, his laugh has magical powers.

"I'm sorry that I'm such a big baby." he said lightly, and I was relieved that he sounded normal again.

Seeing Nate cry is like watching a puppy get kicked by it's owner - it's just something you don't do because it's wrong.

"Here, I owe you a horsey ride for all the trouble I caused you." he said, leaning down slightly so that I could climb onto his back.

I grinned and clambered onto his back just like I did when I was a little girl. Nate stood up and began to walk around the park, and I held onto him tightly, my face glowing with happiness. No matter how old I was or how mad I was, whenever Nathaniel gave me his famous "horsey rides" I always felt happy. When I sat on his back, it felt like I was the queen of the world and that no matter how bad things got, I would always have him there with me. Knowing that I was never ever going to be alone was the greatest feeling in the world. I felt just like a little girl again - the world seemed like a wonderful place with mysteries just waiting to be explored, and I felt like anything was possible as long as I had Nathaniel by my side.

I sighed in contentment and I leaned my face onto his shoulders. He gave me a side long glance and smiled at me. I returned a smile and kissed him lightly on the cheek again. He blushed furiously and I laughed at him, which only made him blush even more furiously.

I looked up at the night sky and marveled at it's sheer size and splendor. "It's so beautiful." I said in awe, staring up into space.

Nate shot me a quick glance before replying. "Yeah, but I've seen better." he said with a casual shrug.

I scoffed. "Yeah right! What's more beautiful than a star?" I asked him derisively.

"You are." he said simply, staring right into my eyes.

_Wow. Now I feel like a jerk. _I thought to myself as I blushed violently.

"Are you asking to get beaten up?" I teased him.

He smiled at me. "What if I am?" he responded jokingly.

"Be careful what you wish for Sawyer, you might just get what you ask for." I warned him.

He just grinned at me. "I'd enjoy getting beaten up by you any day." he said and I blushed again.

"You're such a sap." I joked and he chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess I am." he said simply.

He walked for a little while longer, coming to a hill that overlooked the entire neighborhood. Together, we stood there silently and stared of into space, looking at the stars.

"I meant what I said, you know." Nathaniel said finally.

I looked at him quizzically. "What are you talking about?" I asked him.

"You really are beautiful Kirsten, and I have no idea why I said that you were ugly. I guess I was just tired of arguing with you and it kind of slipped out of my mouth." he said genuinely.

I looked at him and after seeing how serious he was, I laughed at him.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, wearing a look of confusion.

"You! You're taking this way too seriously! I heard you the first time when you apologized." I said, still chuckling uncontrollably.

Nate wore a look of polite puzzlement on his face and I laughed even harder.

I kissed him lightly on the cheek again just to see him flush with embarrassment. Boy, Nathaniel did not disappoint. He looked like someone had just smacked him with a giant fish.

"Stop doing that!" he said exasperatedly after he recovered.

"Why? Don't you like my kisses?" I giggled, teasing him.

"I-I didn't say that..." he stammered and I laughed again.

"You are so adorable!" I squealed and kissed him again.

"Knock it off! I'm serious!" he protested, but he laughed and had an inane grin on his face.

"No." I said like a little child and I kissed him again.

He groaned in exasperation and I laughed again.

"Kirsten, why do you make everything so difficult for me?" he asked me.

I smiled at him sweetly and said, "Because I enjoy giving you a hard time and because you're adorable."

He rolled his eyes at me and I held onto him tightly, relishing every second that we spent together. Some part of me wished that this night would never end and that Nathaniel wouldn't have to leave. He was just so perfect and I couldn't believe I had him all to myself.

"You still want me to delete the picture?" he asked me lightly.

I thought about it for a second. "Nah, you can keep it as a way to remember me. If a pretty girl ever flirts with you in school, you can just tell her you have a girlfriend and show her that picture. I guarantee it will scare her away like nothing else." I joked and Nathaniel laughed again.

"Come on, I'll take you back home." he said and he began walking down the hill.

Somewhere along the way, I must have fallen asleep because I woke up in my bed in the morning. All I could remember was Nate carrying me all the way home and gently leaving me on my bed, but not before tucking me in and kissing my forehead lightly. I wish I could have been awake for that.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for not updating in such a while - I was out of town. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was a little bonus chapter that popped into my head and I thought that it was pertinent to the last chapter. I adore Kirsten and I was so excited to do a story from her POV. Not the greatest ending ever, I know, but I couldn't think of a better one. I hope you all enjoyed it! As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

**For those of you who don't know, the song was "Try Again" by Keane and it's a really good song! Listen to it!**

**Sorry to bother you, but on my profile I have pictures of actors that I would use to play the characters. Also does anyone know how to allow people to look at your images? I found a picture of someone that looks exactly like how I picture Sarah, but I don't know how to share it. Thanks!**

* * *

**Trivia Challenge!**

**The answers to last chapters questions were:**

**1. Orion was consorting with Eos, and Artemis killed him when she found out.**

**2. The _Pieta _most closely resembles the artwork depicting Eos cradling her dying son Memnon after the Trojan War.**

**Here's this weeks question: "Of the five rivers that flow through Hades - the Styx, the Akheron, the Kokytos, the Lethe, and the Phlegethon, which river flows around Hypnos's cave?"**

**Answer correctly and you get a nifty reward!**


	36. Genuinely Happy, Genuinely Perfect

***Read the side note in the Author Note at the bottom - it's got some exciting news!**

**Genuinely Happy, Genuinely Perfect**

**Nathaniel's POV:**

"Arms up higher! Bend your knees! Move your feet faster! He who stands like a pillar dies in battle. He who bends like a reed is triumphant." cried out Chiron from behind me.*

Sweat rolled down my brow, and I gritted my teeth in concentration, focusing with every fiber in my body at the foe in front of me. Nico and I were sparring, and I was hopelessly outmatched. Nico moved with the skill and grace of a master swordsman, while I fumbled around trying desperately to defend myself. I knew that if this was a serious battle, Nico would have killed me with his first stroke. My gladius felt wrong in my hands - unbalanced and skewed in all the wrong ways.

_Clang!_

Our swords made contact with one another and I felt a shock vibrate up through my arm, and my muscles screamed in protest. Trying to be clever, I feinted to Nico's right and sliced instead at his exposed left flank. With a slight twist of his wrist, he parried the strike easily and repelled my sword.

I groaned inwardly in frustration and hacked at his legs, trying to make him lose balance. Nico jumped deftly and struck my chest with the flat of his blade. Pushed backwards, I exhaled as the breath left my body. My sword felt like it was growing unbearably heavy in my hands and I raised it up again. In frustration, I stabbed forwards, trying to scratch Nico at least. I was bruised and scratched up in multiple places, whereas Nico was untouched and hadn't even broken a sweat.

Nico side-stepped my thrust and moved along the length of my blade. He then slid his sword underneath my own and twirled, yanking my blade free from my hands. I watched in horror as my blade flew in an arc above my head and embedded itself in a nearby tree.

Nico stepped back and sheathed his sword, his face emotionless. Behind me, I heard Chiron sigh heavily.

"It's not my fault! I don't have any practice and that sword feels wrong!" I said through gritted teeth, feeling frustrated.

Chiron looked at me sternly. "We've tried all the swords in the armory, and apparently none of them fit you well. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to settle for the gladius for now. Go retrieve your sword and try again, but this time, focus on your footwork." he said.

"This is useless! I can't fight! Can't we just move on and try something else?" I asked him exasperatedly.

Chiron shook his head no. "You need to learn how to defend yourself. Now go retrieve your sword and try again." he said firmly.

I groaned and made my way back to my blade. Planting my foot against the wood, I grasped it by the pommel and yanked at it, attempting to free it, but to no avail. My pupils dilated in rage and I felt adrenaline course through my body. With one hand, I grasped my sword and ripped it away from the wood with some unknown strength and it came free.

I stormed back over to Nico and looked at Chiron, waiting for the all clear. Chiron nodded slightly, and like a flash I whipped my arm at Nico. He parried, but I noticed a slight frown on his face. I grinned to myself. My speed and power had both improved significantly. I might not have the same poise as Nico, but I could surely overpower him and that was my strategy.

Pulling my blade back, I sliced again, moving my sword quicker than the human eye could follow. Nico blocked me again, but the way his blade depressed didn't go unnoticed by me. I spun around again, and the metallic ring of our blades meeting could be heard throughout the training grounds. My sword moved forwards, following my strike with a stab. Nico pulled the same maneuver as before, but this was what I was gunning for. As Nico moved to his right, I brought my sword to follow him, trying to cut him from the side.

Nico's eyes widened in surprise and he did something unexpected. He caught my sword mid-swing with his outstretched finger tips. He brought his pommel up and smashed it against my blade, again ripping it away from grasp.

I did the only thing I could at that moment - I tackled him.

Nico and I crashed to the ground, but he pushed me off quickly. That was fine by me - I got what I wanted. I had retrieved my blade as he kicked me off of him. We stood up and circled each other, studying each other warily, trying to detect the tell tale muscle contraction or pupil dilation that would betray our next movement.

I found an opening, and brought my sword high above my head and powered down, hoping to break through his defense. Nico used both his hands to parry and then a clarion call rang out as my blade snapped in half. I looked dumbly at my sword that was missing half its length.

Chiron trotted over and sighed again.

"You have power and speed, but you don't have control. A true swordsman exercises restraint when he strikes, leaving no movement out of place, attacking methodically and with surgical precision." Chiron said.

Chiron handed me another blade from the weapon rack, and this one felt even more unbalanced than the gladius I had before. I frowned but took it anyways.

"Once more." Chiron said and he went back to where he was observing before.

Nico and I stood an equal distance apart once more, and at Chiron's signal, we both charged. I was learning quickly, and I could now follow Nico's movements better, but I still had a long way to go.

_Brinnggg! _

I stared into Nico's blood red eyes as we pressed our swords against each other. Nico grimaced and we disentangled ourselves, realizing that neither of us was going to win that interaction. I walked in a circle, paying close attention Nico's movements. I noticed a red gleam appear in his eyes and before I could react he swung at my midriff with enough ferocity to cut me in half.

I couldn't react - I didn't have time to raise my sword. It was too late, the blade was going to reach me, and I couldn't do anything about it. I could faintly hear Chiron shouting in the background when everything went silent.

_Am I going to die? _I thought with eerie calm.

Then suddenly, I felt a sensation travel upwards through my stomach and explode out of me with tremendous power. My vision went red and I felt enormous power wash over my body.

The stroke never fell.

Once I recovered I looked around me in horror. The landscape around me was completely destroyed as though a wildfire had spread and burned everything to the ground. Nico was bashed up against a tree some distance away, but Chiron stood where he was, although his hooves were a pale red.

_What in the world just happened? _I thought in confusion.

Chiron looked at me in concern. "We're definitely going to need to teach you to control that." Chiron said with a grimace.

* * *

**Percy's POV:**

Sitting at Zeus's Fist and looking down at the rest of the camp, I was enjoying the scenery. The weather was always warmer here in camp because of Dionysus's meddling, so I only needed a sweatshirt to stay warm. My hands were stuffed comfortably in my sweatshirt's pockets and the wind blew gently, lightly tousling my hair.

Down the hill, I could see a satyr chasing after a nymph, but failing miserably since she was so much faster than him. I grinned at the pair of them as they ran around the trees. The nymph stopped suddenly and turned around to tackle the satyr. They both collapsed on the ground and began to laugh. The entire scene was pretty comical and I chuckled to myself.

Then suddenly I felt a something cold strike my back. I whipped my head around in surprise only to get hit in the face again with another snowball. I angrily wiped my face and scanned the scenery for my attacker.

"Who are you?!" I called out angrily.

Silence.

Then another snowball seemed to materialize from out of nowhere and hit me in the shoulder. I looked at the spot where it had come from intently as I brushed the snow off of my shoulders. I noticed that there was a faint shadow that played out against the snow. Quickly, I formed a tightly packed snowball and launched it at that spot.

I heard an, "Ow!" and I laughed as Annabeth materialized at the spot, wiping snow off her face.

"Not funny Seaweed Brain!" she protested, walking over to me.

"Hey! You started it Wise Girl, so you have only yourself to blame." I said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around me and I hugged her. I kissed her hair and then broke away. We both sat down on the pile of rocks and looked down at the rest of the valley.

"So what're you doing up here?" she asked me curiously.

"I was just looking around until I was so rudely interrupted." I said cheekily.

Annabeth grinned at me mischievously and I wrapped an arm around her shoulder pulling her in close. She sighed in contentment and then rested her head on my chest.

We stayed like that for a while and I desperately hoped that Annabeth wouldn't hear how fast my heart was beating. Even though I had known Annabeth for four years, and even though we've been dating for a couple months now, she still took my breath away and made my heart race. No matter how long I knew her, everytime that I looked at her I always felt nervous but indescribably happy.

I love everything about her. I love the way that she looks at me, like she's never seen anyone else in her life before. I love the way her beautiful gray eyes fill up with happiness and love everytime she sees at me. I love the way she laughs, especially that trill at the end that always makes my heart flip. I love the way that she crosses her arms and wrinkles her nose at me whenever she gets angry. I love the way that she lights up whenever she's with me, and I notice how empty she seems without me. I love the way that she fits so perfectly in my arms when I hug her. I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that I am completely and hopelessly in love with her.

Annabeth poked me in the stomach, stirring me from my thoughts. "What're you thinking about, Seaweed Brain?" she mumbled into my chest lazily.

I grinned and held her even more tightly.

_That you're perfect and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love you. _I thought to myself.

Silently, I debated with myself about whether or not I should tell her. She'd probably just tease me and it would take too long to tell her anyways.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." I whispered into her hair and I could feel her smiling against me.

"Whatever." She said, her speech getting even more slurred.

It finally occurred to me that Annabeth was sleepy. I ran my fingers through her hair in a comforting gesture and wrapped my arms around her, forming a warm and protective cacoon.

"Sleep." I said as soothingly as possible.

"Sing me to sleep, Percy." She whispered and I blushed.

"Annabeth, I can't sing. I'll probably give you nightmares." I said sheepishly.

Annabeth smirked. "I'm sure it's not that bad. Now sing to me. Please?" she plead and I knew that I couldn't resist.

I sighed and thought about a song to sing. "Any song you want in particular?" I asked her.

She shook her head no in response. So I sat quietly and wracked my brain for a song to sing, my fingers still running through her silky hair. I wanted to sing her something that would convey my feelings for her. Finally, I thought of a song and I cleared my throat before I began.

_Hey there Delilah, What's it like in New York City?  
I'm a thousand miles away  
But girl, tonight you look so pretty  
Yes you do  
Times Square can't shine as bright as you, I swear it's true. _

I sang softly, trying to stay in tune and let my emotions come across in the song.

_Hey there Delilah, Don't you worry about the distance  
I'm right there if you get lonely  
Give this song another listen  
Close your eyes  
Listen to my voice, it's my disguise  
I'm by your side. _

Annabeth's grip on me tightened as if she never wanted to let me go. I smiled to myself and held her as lovingly as I could.

_Oh it's what you do to me_  
_Oh it's what you do to me_  
_Oh it's what you do to me_  
_Oh it's what you do to me_  
_What you do to me..._

I skipped around the song to get to my favorite part.

_A thousand miles seems pretty far,  
But they've got planes and trains and cars  
I'd walk to you if I had no other way  
Our friends would all make fun of us  
and we'll just laugh along because we know  
That none of them have felt this way  
Delilah I can promise you  
That by the time we get through  
The world will never ever be the same  
And you're to blame..._

I trailed off ending the song there, and I felt Annabeth grow heavier against me, telling me that she was asleep. I smiled at the sight of her curled up against me. Annabeth looks so intimidating when she's awake, but when she sleeps, she looks so sweet, innocent, and vulnerable. It was another thing about her that I loved.

Again and probably not for the last time today, I bent down and gently kissed her silky, golden hair as lovingly as I could.

"You make me genuinely happy because you are genuinely perfect." I whispered to her and she stirred slightly, making me freeze.

I stayed stock still for a while, waiting for her to relax. She finally went back to normal and I breathed in relief.

"You're cheesy, Seaweed Brain." she mumbled against me and I stared in horror.

I could feel her smirk against my chest and I sat there petrified. She was awake the whole time!

"And you're mean, Wise Girl." I said irately.

Annabeth's head peeked up from my chest, her face glowing with carefree happiness. She took her hands and brought my face closer to hers and we kissed. Just like always, my entire world seemed to spin a little bit slower and time seemed to stand still, wanting to preserve the moment forever.

"I love you so much it hurts." she whispered after she broke away and I grinned at her.

"You're just so much better at saying it than I am though." she said, resting her head on my chest again.

"That doesn't matter to me - As long as you love me, I'm complete." I said softly.

Annabeth tightened her grip around me and I smirked.

"Are you trying to squeeze me to death?" I joked.

"You better believe it." she mumbled and I laughed.

"I'm never ever letting you go. You're too perfect." She whispered quietly, her hands scrunching up my sweatshirt.

"Look who's being cheesy now." I teased her.

She rolled her eyes and I squeezed her gently.

"I'm all yours Annabeth, and I won't ever let you go. You've saved my life and you mean everything to me." I asked her.

She sighed. "I know." she said quietly.

"Good, now go to sleep - I know you're exhausted." I said softly.

She nuzzled up against me, and loosened up. "I love you." she said once more before she nodded off and I smiled.

My fingers resumed stroking her hair and I shifted slightly so that Annabeth's head rested on my lap. She shivered slightly in the cold and I quickly peeled my sweatshirt off and wrapped it around her. Annabeth sighed again and squeezed my sweatshirt.

I sat there in content with the most beautiful girl in the world, sleeping peacefully next to me and I felt a sense of completeness. Everything seemed right with the world with Annabeth beside me - I felt like anything was possible and that no matter how bad things got, everything would be right as long as she was there with me. Subconsciously, I fished around in my pockets and retrieved the object that I was looking for.

I held the ring in the palm of my hand and studied it with a smile. It was a small silver ring with diamonds surrounding a beautiful flawlessly cut sapphire. The ring was for Annabeth, and it was a promise ring - a promise that we would be together forever. It meant a lot to me. After all, I _had_ made it, with the help of Tyson of course. He showed me how to make it, but it was ultimately me that shaped it and welded everything together. One day, when the time was right, I would give it to her. But for now, I was satisfied to pocket the ring and look at the beautiful angel sleeping on my lap.

* * *

**A/N: Hello Everyone! I'm sorry for not updating in so long, I was really busy. Anyhow, it was about time to return to the main story and to work some Percy/Annabeth goodness. I have a little action and romance to appeal to all of you. This was the last chapter about camp. After this, they go back to school. I'm sorry about adding songs into my stories, I just can't resist doing so. I hope you all liked it! As always: Follow, Favorite, and Review.**

***If you understand this reference then kudos to you - you have a good taste in literature.**

**The promise ring was a request by Belgrath! I hope you all like the idea!**

**Side Note - I am currently making a website for this story! It has pictures of how I think all the characters look like in real life, and little biographies about each of them. Once it's done, I'll post a link and you can all check it out. It will also have information about the series and maybe some sort of question forum for you all to ask me things. If any of you can think of a famous person that looks like Nate - send me a link. I can't find a famous person that looks like him. Also, If you have any suggestions or if you think this is a cool idea, let me know!**

* * *

**Trivia Challenge!**

**The answer to last chapter's question was the Lethe. Almost everyone got it, so well done!**

**This chapter's question is really cool and I'm super excited. Here's the question: **_This famous hero in Greek Mythology slew the Calydonian Boar and married Cleopatra. Who was this hero and who does he parallel within the series? _

**As always, first two people to answer the questions correctly get some sort of reward! This one might be a bit of a toughy, especially the last part. Series refers to Rick Riordan's work - specifically the stuff after the The Last Olympian, where the Romans get introduced. I recommend using Wikipedia, otherwise the question will be almost impossible to answer. **


	37. Casino Royale

**Website is up! Check for the link in the Author Note at the bottom!**

**Casino Royale**

**Nathaniel's POV:**

My salad was as bland as always, but I brought it upon myself so I had no right to complain. I speared a tomato and plopped into my mouth and enjoyed its juiciness. Percy looked at me like I was a mutant from another planet as he shoved more pepperoni pizza into his mouth. I smirked at him as Annabeth whacked the back of his head.

"Gosh Seaweed Brain, do the words 'Table Manners' mean anything to you?" Annabeth scolded and Percy winced.

"Sorry, sorry!" He said as he rubbed the back of his head.

I laughed and the both of them stopped arguing and looked up at me with smiles. Even Percy enjoyed my laugh which I always found a little unnerving, but it's the powers of Anteros and whatnot so it wasn't like it was a normal thing. My head craned upwards as I tried to find Sarah. We hadn't seen each other since I went to Camp, so I was dying to see her.

Speaking of Camp, with Chiron's help, I finally managed to establish an acceptable amount of control over my powers. The both of us had to train alone so that I wouldn't unintentionally blow up the entire camp, but eventually I managed to get a grasp on what I could do. To be honest, my powers terrified me. Sheer destruction. That's what my powers were. It got to the point where the very air around me began to vaporize. When I was next to water, it began to boil and eventually invert, creating a whirlpool. Otherwise, I mostly just set things on fire - not normal fire either; black fire that behaved like Greek Fire and refused to die down.

Chiron made the executive decision that I wouldn't need a weapon since nothing fit me right and because my powers could vaporize a monster on contact. I taught myself to manipulate the waves of energy to behave in whatever manners I saw fit. Once, I hit a point of maximum control where I wouldn't even need to manipulate the waves - they would move on their own to protect me. To do that however required extreme concentration.

"Oh my god, Sarah that dress looks amazing!" Annabeth said in awe, and I snapped out of my thoughts.

I looked up and gaped at the goddess standing before me. She was wearing that purple dress that I found in the Armani Exchange, only it looked a million times better on her right now than it did before. Sarah still looked the same - perfect caramel brown hair that tumbled down her shoulders, beautiful royal blue eyes, and an amazing smile, but her demeanor changed somehow. It was like she was more sure of herself and it changed the way she appeared.

"Nathaniel, it's not polite to stare." Sarah said with a shy smile.

I closed my mouth and recovered. "Wow. Just wow." I said inarticulately.

"Does it look fine?" Sarah asked nervously, tugging on the skirt.

"It looks more than fine - you look like a goddess, Sarah!" I said genuinely and she blushed violently.

"Thanks." She said shyly and I beamed at her.

"What in the world are you wearing? It's hideous." I heard a distasteful voice say.

All of us turned to see Amy standing in front of Sarah, wearing a look of incredulity on her face. Sarah's eyes narrowed and she wore such a hateful expression on her face that I was convinced that Amy would melt into a puddle. What Sarah did next, completely surprised me - she slapped Amy.

_Slap._ "That's for kissing my boyfriend!" She shouted, and I felt my cheeks grow uncomfortably warm.

_Slap._ "That's for making my life a living hell!" Sarah yelled forcefully.

_Slap._ "And that's just because I felt like it!"

The entire lunch room burst out into applause and everyone began cheering. Amy looked like she got ran over by a train and she stormed away with her posse following behind her. Sarah curtsied for everyone and turned to us with a smile. She walked over to our table and sat down.

"Did I keep my promise to you?" She asked me innocently.

I swallowed audibly before answering. "Uh, yeah." I said nervously.

Sarah smirked at me. "What's wrong? Did I scare ya?" She teased.

"Yes - you're terrifying!" I said throwing up my hands and Sarah laughed at me.

"Oh Nathaniel! Don't worry, I won't slap you unless you really mess up." She said as she ruffled my hair.

I frowned at her. "That means you're going to slap me a lot." I said seriously and she burst out laughing again.

Then she drew me in for a kiss and I was surprised by how comfortable she seemed to be with taking charge. "Guess you're just going to have to get used to it then." She whispered before she kissed me possessively.

I was thoroughly confused as to what triggered this sudden change in personality, but I didn't break away from the kiss. Once we did break away I looked at her in concern. "Is everything alright?" I asked her nervously.

"Why? Is there something wrong with me? Because I feel fine." Sarah said and she poked her stomach just to make sure.

"Roof?" I asked her and she nodded. This was a more private matter that we needed to discuss by ourselves.

"I'll just grab my coat." Sarah said.

"No need, you can use mine - I have a sweater on." I said, gesturing to my cardigan.

Sarah nodded and we both stood up and made our way to the set of stairs that led up to the roof. We opened the door and the crisp winter air greeted us. There wasn't too much snow on the roof, so we went over to the edge and let our feet dangle. Sarah adjusted my woolen peacoat around herself to feel more comfortable as she absentmindedly kicked her feet carelessly back and forth.

"So what do you want to talk about?" She asked me curiously as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears.

I took a deep breath before I started talking. "Nothing, it's just that you seem... I don't know, different? I'm just kind of wondering what's up." I asked her honestly.

She didn't look at me when she answered. "Why? Does it bother you?" She asked me.

I squirmed in place uncomfortably. "Well, I don't know if it bothers me, I just find it sudden." I explained cautiously. I felt like I was treading in dangerous waters, so I did my best to tread lightly.

Sarah remained silent for a long while so I nervously toyed with my locket as was my habit when I became worried. She must have noticed because she stopped me and gave me a small smile that I returned.

"Don't freak out so much - I just felt sick of being helpless and unconfident. Over break, I made the conscious choice to change who I was. I want to be more confident and more independent." Sarah explained and I nodded.

"Well what do you think about my idea?" She asked me, tilting her head slightly.

"I think it's a fantastic idea and you have my complete support." I said with a grin.

"Thanks." She said and she gave me a hug.

I laughed after we broke away and stood up. "Come on, let's go back down - it's freezing up here." I said extending my hand to her.

She smiled at me and took it in her hand, and together we walked back down into the school.

* * *

**Sarah's POV:**

The rest of the week went by without too much trouble. I made friends with the new girl, Charlotte Riley, who was really nice and pretty. Apparently she knew Nathaniel from a camp that they went to over break together. I felt a little bit jealous but I didn't mind too much since I trusted Nathaniel to make the right decisions. We got along really well, but I felt like she was hiding something big about herself from me. I didn't press her because I knew that she would tell me on her own once she trusted me.

Today was Friday and Nathaniel had invited me over to watch a movie. He picked out "Casino Royale" which was a James Bond movie. My initial instinct was to roll my eyes and mutter "Boys" in a very condescending manner, but he convinced me that it had gotten a lot of good reviews. Neither of us had watched it, so we were kind of in the dark, but Percy and Annabeth said that we _had_ to watch it. I had asked my dad if I could stay over at his for the night, and while he was very skeptical about allowing his teenage daughter to stay over at a boy's house, he relented.

With my pillow and a bag with my toothbrush and toothpaste safely tucked underneath the crook of my arm, I rang Nathaniel's doorbell. He opened the door a few seconds later and wore a look of disbelief.

"You walked here?" He asked incredulously.

My eyebrows furrowed and I frowned slightly. "Gee thanks, nice to see you too. And I have legs, they're meant for walking." I said snidely.

Nathaniel closed his eyes and wiped his face with his hands. He sighed heavily before talking and I knew it was taking everything he had not to blow up on me. "Something could have happened to you, Sarah, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something had. Please tell me in the future and I'll pick you up. Walking around the streets of New York City at 9 o'clock is a foolish idea." He said calmly, but I could hear the turbulence behind his voice.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I can take care of myself you know. I'm not a baby and I managed just fine before you moved here." I said defiantly, but I knew I was being stupid.

A quiver of rage ran through Nathaniel's body and then the color drained from his body, leaving him looking weak and weary. He gingerly clutched the doorknob for support.

"Just come inside, Sarah." He said, his voice was tired and weary.

I walked in feeling like a jerk. I took my shoes off and turned to him. "Listen, I'm sorry that I didn't call, but really, I am more than capable of walking here." I said gently to him.

Then unbidden, his threshold snapped and he grew livid. His voice was still the same volume, but the anger was even more evident this way. "I'm not doubting your capability to walk, I'm doubting your ability to defend yourselves from individuals that might wish you harm. You have no idea how awful I feel right now - I feel like a negligent boyfriend that just let his beautiful girlfriend walk the streets of New York City at night, left to mercy of every homicidal maniac and rapist out there!" He said, gesturing with his finger.

"Why do you even care?" I blurted out in stupidity.

Nathaniel looked at me like I slapped him with a shovel. "Why do I care? Why _wouldn't_ I care? I love you - when will you internalize that? You have no idea the kind of effect you have on me. Every second I'm not with you is painful and every second I am with you makes me indescribably happy. If something happened to you, I don't know what I would do with myself." He ranted and I felt even worse than I already did.

"Nathaniel, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking, alright? I didn't think about how worried you would be, and I honestly just walked here because that's what I've always done, so it didn't feel any different. Now I realize that my actions affect you also, so in the future I'll make sure to tell you about these kinds of things." I said gently.

Nathaniel softened and looked at me lovingly. He cupped my face between his hands and stared into my eyes. "I just don't want to lose you." He whispered.

"Neither do I." I breathed back and then we leant in for a kiss.

When we broke away, Nathaniel regained his vivaciousness and his pallor disappeared. "Come on, I got a ton of stuff ready so we should probably get started." He said with a smile, and he took my hands in his.

He started walking backwards so that he could still see me and we walked into the living room. Nathaniel turned around and gestured. "You can go get changed and stuff while I go get the snacks." He said and I nodded.

"Sure, sounds good." I said with a smile. Nathaniel flashed me a grin and made his way to his kitchen.

After a few minutes, I was done getting changed into a pair of comfortable sweatpants and an old t-shirt. Nathaniel returned carrying a tray full of food. There were small cakes, chips, and he had two cups of hot chocolate as well. Looking at the food made my stomach grumble and Nathaniel must have noticed because he gave me a devilish grin.

"Someone's hungry," Nathaniel teased and my face grew hot.

"Shut up." I mumbled half-heartedly.

"Don't mind me, this is all for you, so dig in." Nathaniel said with a laugh.

I looked at him gratefully. "Thanks."

The both of us began to devour the food, well I did most of the devouring, much to Nathaniel's pleasure. The food was delicious and Nathaniel had apparently made the cakes which were my favorite. The movie began shortly after we finished the food.

I had to say, the movie definitely exceeded my expectations. It was ridiculously good - much better than I thought it was going to be. That's probably because I thought that James Bond was always just a shallow womanizer, but in this movie I saw character depth which was something that I wasn't expecting.

The end of the movie was coming up and all of a sudden Vesper betrayed Bond. I had no idea what was going on so I watched intently. We got to the scene where Vesper locks herself in the cage on it falls into the river. Bond jumps after her and when he tries to rescue her, the really sad piano theme plays and Vesper caresses his cheek before dying. I was so engrossed in the movie that I didn't notice that Nathaniel was shaking violently. After Vesper finally dies, Nathaniel shakily stood up and exited the living room.

I frowned and watched him go with worry. He opened a sliding glass door and walked out onto his balcony even though it was freezing outside and he was only in a t-shirt. I sat there for a while unsure of what to do; comforting people was what Nathaniel did best, not what I did best. I felt like his reason for leaving was probably because the scene reminded him of his final moments with Kirsten.

For starters, I went into his closet and pulled out his peacoat and retrieved my own. Then I opened the sliding glass door gently and walked out to meet him. Nathaniel was standing at the edge while staring up at the moon, his hands tightly gripping the railing of the balcony so that they turned bloodless. I walked up behind him cautiously and wrapped my hands around his waist and rested my head against his back.

"Hey." I said as soothingly as I could. I could hear Nathaniel's heartbeat through my ears - it was racing as though he had just run a marathon. My arms tightened around him.

Nathaniel didn't say anything so I turned to see him. To my surprise, tears streamed silently down Nathaniel's face but his face remained as stoic as always. With a gentle hand, I wiped his tears away and he finally looked at me and his gorgeous eyes quivered in sorrow.

"I'm sorry." He said simply, but his voice was raw and hoarse.

"You have nothing to apologize for. That must have been hard for you since it probably reminded you of Kirsten." I reasoned.

Nathaniel nodded. "All I could see was her face before she died." He whispered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked him cautiously.

"Well, you have the right to know." Nathaniel said after a while.

I nodded and draped his peacoat over him before he began in an emotionless voice.

"It was dark, around midnight and Kirsten and I had just finished a movie, but I don't remember which one it was. We had fun, but the movie theater we went to was pretty far away from where we lived so we had to take the highway to get back home. Everything went fine when I almost ran into these three really ancient looking women on the interstate. The car spun to the side of the road, but we were unharmed. I got out to check what was wrong and Kirsten kept telling me to come back to the car, saying that there wasn't anyone there." Nathaniel said mechanically as though he was talking about this happening to someone else. I shivered at the tone of his voice which was devoid of all emotion.

"The women were hooded so that I couldn't see their faces but they held a neon blue string in their hands. Kirsten plead for me to come back to the car with her, but I wouldn't listen. Then one of them cut the string with a pair of really menacing looking scissors. The next thing I knew, there was a car bearing down on me and I couldn't move - I was petrified and still processing what I had seen. Kirsten then pushed me out of the way and took the hit for me, saving my life." Nathaniel continued, his talking increasing in speed.

"I held her bloody body in my hands and I panicked - my body went into shock and I couldn't think. It took me a few minutes to realize that she was still breathing, but just barely. I quickly called for an ambulance, but I had a feeling that they wouldn't get there in time. If I had called earlier then I might have been able to save her life. I sat there in the middle of the highway for god knows how long as Kirsten slowly died. When the doctors found us, I was shaking like a leaf and I was drenched from head to toe in her blood. I developed hemophobia that day and I also have post traumatic stress disorder. I couldn't face her parents after that - to tell them that their daughter's death was my fault. The worst part was the look on her twin brother's faces - it broke my heart. I just couldn't stay there anymore and so I moved, and well, you know the rest." Nathaniel concluded with a weak smile.

I struggled to wrap my head around all the information he just told me. "That's awful Nathaniel... It wasn't your fault though." I began but he grew bitter.

"But it was! If I had listened to her and got off the street or if I at least called the ambulance, she might still be alive." Nathaniel said bitterly.

"Succumbing to shock after the death of your best friend/girlfriend is not something that you can control - it's to be expected." I said.

"That doesn't make it any easier to accept." Nathaniel whispered.

I couldn't think of an appropriate response, so I just kissed him instead. I tried to pour my heart and soul into the simple act, trying to comfort him. It might have made things worse since he was thinking about his ex a few seconds before, but he responded. The kiss grew more passionate and fiery and I wished that it would never end.

We finally broke away and I rested my forehead against his. I gently poked him in the stomach and he wore a small grin. "I'm here for you Nathan, don't ever forget that." I whispered to him.

Nathaniel's eyes softened and a look of gentleness spread across his face. "Then I must be the luckiest guy in the world." He said and kissed the crown of my head.

I giggled and together we went back inside his house. As we did, I thought that he just might have gotten it backwards.

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**A/N: Hello Everyone! I apologize for taking so long to update. I had a particularly vicious bout of writer's block with this chapter and I couldn't think of a way to write it. I hope you find it satisfactory and I apologize profusely. So Nathaniel saw the Fates cutting Kirsten's lifeline - kind of ironic that that was what killed her. I hope that her death made sense to you all - I really struggled with it. Happy Holidays and as always: Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

**Secondary Notes:**

**1. The website link is up on my profile! **It's kind of suckish because I'm not a computer programmer so it's basically just like a glorified power point. I apologize for lack of technological know how. Nathaniel's picture isn't exactly how I see him - but he's the closest I can get. I am really proud of Annabeth's and Sarah's pictures - I think I got them spot on. I'll add pictures of Kirsten and Amy once I find them. I had to put it on my profile since the link wouldn't copy here. Sorry for the inconvenience!

**2. I have a new story out called "Wolf's Law" and I would very much appreciate it if you could give it a read. Thanks!**

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**No trivia challenge this chapter, since I'm too lazy. The answer to last chapter's question was Meleager and he parallels Frank. They both have lifelines that will be destroyed by fire - Meleager has a brand, and Frank has that piece of driftwood (I think). Anyhow, I've received a couple reviews asking where I get the questions. I make them up actually, so there's no secret website that generates these questions. That's why I get lazy about them sometimes, because it takes a lot of thought to think of them. **


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